PBBM Defends Sandro Marcos: “He Will Not Lie” Amid Claims of 2022 Duterte Camp Demands

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has publicly expressed confidence in the credibility of his son, House Majority Floor Leader Sandro Marcos, following the latter's claim that officials from the Duterte administration made demands in exchange for endorsing Marcos during the 2022 presidential elections.

According to the President's message relayed during a media interview, Marcos said he had raised his children well and that his son Sandro would not lie.

“He has raised his kids well and his son, Sandro, will not lie.”

The statement comes after Sandro Marcos revealed that three officials from the Duterte administration allegedly approached the Marcos camp before the 2022 elections with demands tied to their support for Marcos' presidential bid.

Three Positions Allegedly Demanded

According to Sandro's account, the three individuals allegedly wanted influence over key positions in the incoming administration.

The positions reportedly included:

• Senate President

• House Speaker

• Executive Secretary

The claim suggests that the endorsement of Marcos in the 2022 presidential race allegedly came with expectations regarding the distribution of political power within the incoming administration.

However, Sandro has chosen not to publicly identify the three individuals.

That means the identities of those allegedly involved remain undisclosed.

PBBM Backs His Son

When asked about Sandro's statement, President Marcos reportedly gave a straightforward response.

Rather than identifying the individuals himself, the President emphasized his confidence in his son.

His message, according to the account shared with the media, was essentially that he had raised his children properly and that Sandro would not lie.

The President's statement therefore puts his credibility behind his son's account while leaving the identities of the alleged officials undisclosed.

One Alleged Figure Still in Government

The discussion also raised another potentially significant detail.

According to the account of Sandro's statement, one of the three individuals allegedly involved is reportedly still holding a government position.

However, Sandro has declined to reveal their identities.

Officials were asked whether the President himself could disclose the names, but the response was that Sandro's decision not to identify them publicly should be respected.

For now, therefore, the identities remain a political mystery.

A New Chapter in the Marcos-Duterte Rift

The allegations are particularly significant because the 2022 election brought Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte together under the UniTeam alliance.

Their partnership produced a decisive electoral victory, with Marcos winning the presidency and Sara Duterte becoming Vice President.

But relations between the Marcos and Duterte camps have since deteriorated dramatically.

The two political families have become increasingly divided over issues involving governance, congressional investigations, political alliances and the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Duterte.

Sandro Marcos' latest remarks add another layer to that political conflict by raising questions about what negotiations may have taken place behind the scenes before the 2022 election.

What Were the Alleged Conditions?

If Sandro's account is accurate, the allegations raise questions about the extent to which political endorsements during the 2022 campaign were tied to expectations regarding government appointments and legislative leadership.

However, without the identities of the three alleged individuals being publicly established, the claims remain allegations that have yet to be independently verified.

That distinction matters.

The politically explosive part of the story is not simply that demands were allegedly made.

It is who allegedly made them—and whether those individuals actually represented the Duterte camp.

For now, Sandro is keeping those names private.

President Marcos, meanwhile, appears to have made his position clear:

He believes his son.

And with one of the three alleged figures reportedly still inside government, the question of their identities could remain a major political talking point.

KEY TAKEAWAY

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. defended his son Sandro Marcos following the latter's claim that three Duterte administration officials allegedly demanded the Senate presidency, House speakership and Executive Secretary position in exchange for supporting Marcos in the 2022 elections. Sandro has not publicly identified the three individuals, one of whom he reportedly said remains in government.

“Ipagdasal Niyo Ako”: When Prayer Is Asked, but Accountability Is Avoided

BBM Watch

January 03, 2026•1 min read

“Ipagdasal niyo ako sapagkat kapag ang Pangulo ay nagtagumpay, ang buong bansa ay nagtatagumpay.”

A comforting line — familiar, safe, and powerful in a deeply religious nation. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. once again leaned on faith-language to frame leadership as collective destiny.

But former COA and Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon responded with a sharper, grounded reality check:

“Pinagnanakawan mo na ang Pilipinas, gusto mo ipagdasal ka pa namin?”

Agila satire does not mock prayer — it questions timing and context.

Prayer is sacred.
But prayer without repentance becomes performance.
Prayer without reform becomes a shield.

In a nation wrestling with unfinished bridges, questionable projects, and trust deficits, the call to “pray for the President” lands differently. The people are not hostile to faith — they are weary of words replacing work.

The eagle sees the contradiction clearly:

• When projects fail → ask for patience

• When trust drops → ask for prayer

• When questions rise → defer accountability

Guanzon’s statement cuts to the core of public frustration. It is not anti-faith. It is anti-hypocrisy.

Scripture itself warns leaders:

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”
— Matthew 15:8

A nation does not succeed because a leader is prayed for.
A leader is prayed for because they choose truth, justice, and service — even when it costs them.

🦅 Agila bows in prayer — but keeps its eyes open.