Photo courtesy of Joseph B. Vidal / Senate Social Media Unit
Several senators from the minority bloc chose not to attend President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address in person on Monday.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said he preferred to follow the speech on television rather than join the event at the Batasang Pambansa.
Cayetano described the decision as a personal form of protest and suggested that his absence might also be more acceptable to the administration.
The office of Sen. Pia Cayetano separately confirmed that she would not be present during the annual address.
Sen. Imee Marcos also said she would skip the event but still intended to listen to her brother’s speech.
She linked her decision to concerns over what she described as the detention and prosecution of members of the political opposition.
Imee said other minority senators, including Robin Padilla and Loren Legarda, might also decide not to attend.
Their absence highlighted continuing political tensions as Marcos delivered his annual report and policy agenda before a joint session of Congress.