Duterte family's Senate ambitions slammed

MANILA, Philippines — A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday slammed the plan of the Duterte family to expand their political dynasty following Vice President Sara Duterte’s announcement that her father and two brothers will each seek a Senate seat.

Recently, the vice president said that former president Rodrigo Duterte and sons Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte shall each seek a Senate seat in the 2025 midterm elections. She also confirmed that the family is already preparing for the 2028 presidential race, with Baste being groomed as their presidential candidate.

“This is the height of bureaucrat capitalism, where a single family wants to control every aspect of a nation’s politics,” said ACT Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro in a statement.

She noted the politicians are treating government positions like a business not only to enrich themselves but also to cover up their crimes to the people.

She added this development only “exposes the intensifying conflict between two factions of the ruling class,” apparently referring to the Duterte and Marcos families.

The lawmaker called on the Filipino people to remain vigilant and to resist these attempts by political dynasties to “monopolize power and perpetuate their rule at the expense of democracy and the interests of the masses.” — Delon Porcalla, Sheila Crisostomo