Imee Marcos: I'm not keen on becoming Senate majority leader

Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday said she was offered to become the new Senate Majority Floor Leader following the change in leadership at the chamber, but said she is not interested in the post due to its intricacies.

“Ay, ayoko kasing maging majority leader eh. Sinabi ko na. Inaalok sa akin, kasi walang may gusto mag-majority leader, aminin ko na,” Marcos said in a forum hosted by the Kamuning Bakery Cafe.

(I don’t want to be the majority leader. I’ve already said it. It was offered to me because no one wants to be majority leader, I admit.)

“Matrabaho at ang hirap hirap lalo na ngayon na maiinit ang ulo ng mga tao. Eh kasi, makikisuyo ka, makikiusap sa kabila, tapos nakatayo ka, nakasalang ka lagi do’n. Ang hirap hirap talaga ng trabahong ‘yan,” she added.

(It’s a really difficult job, especially now that people are angry. If you’re the majority leader, you have to coordinate with the minority regularly and you have to stand on the rostrum for a long time. That job is really hard.)

Senator Joel Villanueva currently serves as the acting Majority Leader. He was reinstated to the post after the change in leadership at the Senate on May 11, 2026.

Marcos said she and her colleagues are encouraging Villanueva to retain the post, but the latter has reservations due to impending charges connected to alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

“Eh humarap din ‘yung tao ng kaso, kaya nagmamakaawa, ‘wag naman, at talagang hirap na hirap na raw ‘yung asawa niya. Nakatutok daw sa kanya lagi ang mikropono,” she said.

(The man is also facing cases so he’s begging not to give him the job. He said his wife is having a hard time, given that the microphone is always pointed at him.)

“Ako naman, sabi ko, alam naman ninyo, hindi ako pwede, mainit ang ulo ko. Ayokong nakikiusap diyan. Hirap na hirap ako diyan. Ako pa ang pagtutuunan ninyo ng rules, ng pakikisuyo. Mahirap sa akin ‘yun eh,” she continued.

(As for me, you know, I can’t do that job because I'm hot-headed. I don’t want to plead with anyone and focus on dealing with the rules. I’m having a hard time with that.)

Right now, Marcos said Senator Jinggoy Estrada is helping with the job, along with other members of the majority bloc.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said plunder and malversation charges would be filed against Estrada before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the flood control mess.

A separate plunder case is also expected to be filed against Villanueva.

On Tuesday, minority senators prevented a vote on a motion to tackle in the Senate plenary a proposed amendment to its rules to allow senators to participate remotely in sessions, after they walked out.

The minority bloc, including Senator Erwin Tulfo, questioned whether the push to amend the rules was linked to the absence of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and other senators facing legal cases who could potentially benefit from remote participation.

‘Very offensive’

Estrada, in response, called the younger Tulfo’s statement offensive and uncalled for.

“Sigurado na ba siya? Meron ba siyang contact sa taas o sa korte? I think that comment was uncalled for… Hindi ko alam how he came with that conclusion,” he said in an ambush interview.

(Is he sure already? Does he have connections with authorities or the courts? I think that comment was uncalled for… I don’t know how he came with that conclusion.)

Asked if he thinks Tulfo’s remarks were offensive, Estrada said, “Of course. Very offensive.” — JMA, GMA News