In a move that set the political landscape on high alert, Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon rolled out a fresh wave of allegations against Sen. Imee Marcos, asserting that the lawmaker supposedly maintained a “bagman” for Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) initiatives across the Ilocos Region. According to Gadon, this individual allegedly functioned as an intermediary in matters related to project arrangements and resource channels.
Further intensifying the situation, Gadon claimed that Sen. Marcos benefited from campaign support provided by Curlee and Sarah Discaya during her senatorial run. The presidential adviser framed these assertions as part of what he described as a broader accountability narrative, emerging amid fresh revelations shared by Sen. Marcos involving her brother, President Bongbong Marcos, and his immediate family. As of the latest update, Sen. Imee Marcos has not yet issued a response, leaving the public and political stakeholders waiting for official damage control.
Gadon, leaning into a tone that merged family matters with national interest, stated: “Hindi ka napagbibigyan doon sa mga puwesto na gusto mong ipa-appoint kaya ikaw ay galit na galit sa iyong kapatid. Pero kung galit ka sa kapatid mo, dapat ‘yan ay ipaglihim niyo na lang sa inyong pamilya. Huwag mong idamay ang mga Pilipino [at] Pilipinas.”
With election cycles always looming on the horizon and legacy political clans continuing to dominate the public sector, this development underscores what many perceive as persistent tension among key figures within the administration. The narrative fuels speculation around governance silos, internal turf wars, and legacy-driven influence—factors that have historically shaped the Philippine political ecosystem.
Political analysts monitoring the matter suggest that this latest controversy might introduce friction across coalition lines, raising questions about alignment, resource distribution, and public trust. On social media, early discourse points toward increased demand for transparency metrics and a refreshed push for governance due diligence, especially involving infrastructure budgets and regional allocations.
For now, the Marcos camp faces a classic strategic inflection point—with expectations mounting for either a formal rebuttal or a calibrated communications play to neutralize the noise. As government operations continue and national attention scales, stakeholders across the public and private sectors are anticipating the next move in what could evolve into a high-impact narrative in the country’s evolving political roadmap.