Most minority senators to skip SONA 2026 — Imee Marcos

Most members of the Senate minority bloc will skip President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.‘s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday afternoon, citing their dissatisfaction over the detention of several opposition lawmakers.

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Imee Marcos said they would not physically attend the President’s SONA at the Batasang Pambasa in Quezon City.

Senator Marcos also said Senators Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, and Robinhood Padilla had expressed the same decision.

“Hindi na siguro,” Imee Marcos told reporters.

(I will probably not attend.)

“Papakinggan yun nga lang, masama ang loob namin kasi pinagkukulong, kinakasuhan ang minority. ’Yun lang, parang di ko kaya,” she said.

(I will listen to the SONA, but we are deeply disappointed because members of the minority are being jailed and facing cases. I don’t think I can attend.)

This is not the first time Imee will not attend the SONA. In 2025, she also opted to skip her brother’s speech.

“Nagtanungan lang kami ngayon. Walang usapan na mag-itim, na ‘di sisipot,” she added.

(We only talked about it today. There was no agreement to wear black or skip the SONA.)

There was no immediate information whether Senators Mark and Camille Villar will attend the SONA.

Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta are presently detained over separate plunder charges.

‘Simple way of protesting’

In a separate interview, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano explained he would skip the SONA as a “simple way of protesting.”

“Hindi pa kami nag-uusap lahat. Ako mas preference ko siguro panoorin na lang sa TV. Baka mas komportable din yung administrasyon that way and it's my simple way of protesting pati sa pagbla-black,” Cayetano said.

(The minority have yet to talk but may I prefer to just watch it on TV. That may be more comfortable for the administration and that, as well as wearing black, is my simple way of protesting.)

“Unlike in 1986-87 na ramdam talaga na may question of democracy. Ngayon, siyempre it's more of poverty, economy at saka yung corruption. But I really believe that our democracy is in danger and talagang pag nagsalita ka, target ka bigla,” he added.

(Unlike in 1986-1987 when the question of democracy is felt, now the issues are more on poverty, economy and corruption. But I really believe that our democracy is in danger and that if you speak against the administration, you will be targeted.)

Some majority senators absent

Meanwhile, some members of the majority bloc were likewise absent from the SONA including Senate President Pro-Tempore Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aguirre Aquino IV.

Sotto and Lacson skipped the SONA due to colds.

“Bad colds. I don’t want to contaminate others. Taking meds thru IV so i can work tomorrow,” Sotto told reporters in a Viber message.

Amid the ongoing tensions at the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri is hoping to find a way to mend the majority and the minority.

“Merong pang nagtatampo sa isa't isa. Minority, majority yan ang inaayos ko ngayon. Babalik na ang ice cream diplomacy. Papakainin ko sila ng masarap na ice cream,” Zubiri said.

(There are still some who have grudges against each other. Minority, majority, that is what I am trying to fix now. The return of ice cream diplomacy. I will feed them all ice cream.)

Former speaker absent

According to a "24 Oras" report, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez also did not attend the SONA. His absence became all the more prominent when Marcos announced that the Ombudsman is preparing charges against him.

In a statement to the media, Romualdez said that while Marcos’ announcement was painful for their family, he would respect it. However, the former speaker said he was confident he could prove his innocence. — RSJ/ VAL, GMA News