Imee Marcos to lose Foreign Relations Committee post at Senate

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

January 30, 2026 | 5:06pm

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos will be replaced as chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate President Tito Sottto said, citing the tradition that the post is reserved for members of the majority.

Marcos has chaired the committee since the previous Congress. She has used the panel to summon administration officials, including after the arrest and turnover of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court.

On Friday, January 30, Sotto said the Senate leadership initially allowed Marcos to keep the post in the hope that she would join the majority bloc.

"But apparently things did work out that way at meron mga important treaties at agreements na nakapending doon na malaki ang concern ng mga members of majority. We decided that we should give it to a member of the majority," Sotto said at a virtual press conference.

(But apparently things did work out that way and there are important treaties and agreements that are still pending there, which have a significant concern from the members of the majority.  We decided that we should give it to a member of the majority.)

Denial of political retaliation. Sotto denied that Marcos was being replaced because she refused to sign a Senate resolution condemning the Chinese Embassy's public statements against Philippine officials.

Only 15 senators signed the resolution. Several lawmakers who declined to sign were considered aligned with former president Duterte, including Sens. Bong Go and Robin Padilla.

Many senators aligned with Duterte have expressed more conciliatory positions toward China. Marcos famously said in 2019 that it was the Philippines that initiated trouble with China after filing a case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration over the West Philippine Sea.

Possible successor. Sotto did not name Marcos' replacement but said Sen. Erwin Tulfo has reportedly expressed interest in the chairship.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri was instructed to inform Marcos of the leadership's decision. Marcos was offered the Committee on Constitutional Amendments but reportedly declined.