SONA 2026: Imee Marcos calls Bongbong's SONA 'pambubudol lang'

Minority senator Imee Marcos on Monday criticized her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling his announcement of charges against their cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, nothing but deception.

Imee skipped Marcos’ SONA along with other members of the minority.

“Pawang pambubudol na naman ang sinabi ng Pangulo na malapit nang sampahan ng kaso ng Ombudsman si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Imee said in a statement.

(It is pure deception for the President to say that the Ombudsman is close to filing cases against former Speaker Martin Romualdez.)

SONA 2026: Marcos says Ombudsman set to file multiple cases vs ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez

Imee questioned why the government was so quick to file cases against senators who were against the administration, yet was slow against its own allies.

Romualdez is not alone in corruption, Imee said.

Meanwhile, Imee’s ally in the minority, Sen. Robin Padilla, had a somewhat warmer response to Marcos’ SONA.

“Maraming salamat sa ating Pangulo at mas marami ang wikang Pilipino sa kanyang talumpati, mas naintindihan naming mga hampaslupa ang kanyang mga nais isagawa sa loob ng natitira niyang termino,” Padilla said on Facebook.

(Many thanks to our President. I also appreciate that he used more Filipino in his speech, which made it easier for us ordinary Filipinos to understand what he wants to accomplish during the remainder of his term.) —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News