(UPDATE) MALACAÑANG on Tuesday said that it was too early to discuss proposals to form a new political alliance similar to the UniTeam that backed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte in the 2022 elections.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the statement after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV suggested that pro-Marcos supporters form an alliance with the so-called “Kakampinks” of former vice president Leni Robredo to oppose the Dutertes in 2028.
“There has been no discussion on that, and it has not been mentioned to the president,” Castro said during a press conference.
Asked if Malacañang is open to working with members of the opposition or former election contenders, Castro declined to comment.
The Palace official said it was too early to give any position on the matter.
“We have nothing to say at this time. Maybe it’s too early to comment on that,” Castro said.
Robredo, who served as the leader of the opposition, gunned for the presidency in the 2022 elections with Sen. Francis Pangilinan as her running mate.
They lost to the then UniTeam of Marcos and Duterte, who won via a historic landslide with the promise of unity to bring the country forward.
But this once formidable partnership, called UniTeam, collapsed last year due to supposed personal grievances, policy disagreements and political maneuvering.
In June 2024, Duterte stepped down as secretary of the Department of Education, leaving the Marcos Cabinet in a move that signaled a break in the alliance.
She later said the UniTeam was dead, as she and Marcos had already won the elections.
In October last year, Marcos said he could not help but feel “deceived” after Duterte said she was not friends with him despite them running together and winning the 2022 elections.
In response, the vice president said the Marcoses used her to win the elections.
Despite this, the president said he did not want Congress to pursue impeachment complaints against the vice president, as it would just be a waste of time.
Marcos is facing at least three impeachment complaints due to his alleged involvement in questionable insertions in the country’s national budget last year, among other grounds for his removal from office.
Meanwhile, Castro said Malacañang sees the impeachment complaints against Marcos as an attack on the administration.
“In a way, yes, because as we said, the filing of an impeachment complaint does not only affect the president but also the country and its economy,” Castro said.
She said that the Palace would let the impeachment process take its course and reiterated that Marcos respects Congress’ mandate.
“These impeachment complaints filed against the president will not stop him. They will not prevent the president from continuing his work to improve the lives of every Filipino,” Castro said.
“If it is necessary, and it is said that the president must submit any documents again, he respects the process,” she added.