De Lima says she can’t work with Duterte bloc in House minority
The so-called Duterte bloc that may be formed in the incoming 20th Congress in the House of Representatives will not be a genuine opposition but obstructionists, former Sen. Leila de Lima said on Monday. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — The so-called Duterte bloc that may be formed in the incoming 20th Congress in the House of Representatives will not be a genuine opposition but obstructionists, former Sen. Leila de Lima said on Monday.
De Lima made this statement after being asked if she is amenable to working together with the “Duterte bloc” or allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte in the House minority, once she and the new set of lawmakers begin their office in the 20th Congress in July.
According to de Lima, who will get a House seat through the Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list, she and her group cannot work with the Duterte bloc as they have different principles from them, and they would not be able to serve as fiscalizers during policy-making.
“I don’t think, sa akin, but you know, I can’t really speak on behalf of our group kasi pinag-uusapan pa lang ‘yan, ‘yong possibility na there is a Duterte bloc. Eh sa prinsipyo pa lang, and then sa mga issues, lalo na sa mga political issues, I don’t think we can join them, we can be one with them,” he said.
(I don’t think, for me, but you know, I can’t really speak on behalf of our group because these things are just being discussed, the possibility that there is a Duterte bloc. But in principle alone, and then regarding issues — especially political issues — I don’t think we can join them, we can be one with them.)
“Kasi kami kung we decide to be really in the minority, and it’s going to be really ‘yong tunay na minority na magiging fiscalizer, but constructive fiscalizer, constructive minority, but certainly not obstructionists. Eh ‘yong Duterte bloc ang expectation natin d’yan baka obstructionist sila, oppose nang oppose as to what politically would benefit them,” he added.
(Because if we decide to be really in the minority, and it’s going to be really the real minority, which is a fiscalizer, but constructive fiscalizer, constructive minority, but certainly not obstructionists. But the Duterte bloc, our expectation is that they will be just obstructionists, they will oppose and oppose as to what politically would benefit them.)
According to de Lima, both the ML party-list and the Liberal Party (LP) will be fiscalizers and stand based on issues, and not just because they want to oppose the administration.
“Hindi naman gano’n ang mindset namin sa LP and sa ML. Yes, we would want to be fiscalizers, yes, we would want to take positions based on issues. Gano’n naman kami lagi sa LP, issues-based ang aming stand, ang aming opposition,” she noted.
(That is not our mindset in LP and ML. Yes, we would want to be fiscalizers, yes, we would want to take positions based on issues. That is how we have been in LP, our stand and our opposition are issues-based.)
In the Senate, a Duterte bloc has been formed among Senators Bong Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos, and Senator-elect Rodante Marcoleta — all known allies of the former president.
Go, dela Rosa, and Marcos were all successful in their Senate reelection bid.
READ:
For the House, it is unclear if a similar bloc will be formed, but Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, has already urged her brother, Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, to vie for the speakership or the minority leader post.
Among key allies of the vice president in the House are former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab, and newly elected Davao City 2nd District Rep. Omar Duterte. Omar is the son of Rep. Paolo Duterte.
But for De Lima, it is still a wait-and-see scenario, as she believes the current minority bloc will also challenge such an alliance.
“Tignan na lang natin if itutuloy nila ‘yan. But syempre kung mabuo na ‘yong minority bloc na pinag-uusapan ngayon, syempre meron ding tatakbo as minority leader from that bloc,” he said.
(Let us just wait to see if they will pursue that. But of course, if the minority bloc being discussed now comes to fruition, of course a minority leader from that bloc will also run.)
De Lima and the ML party-list are entering the House at a crucial time, as the political divide gets more intense. Even before she got a seat, De Lima was offered to be part of the House’s prosecution panel for the impeachment trial of Duterte.
READ: De Lima, Diokno to join House team prosecuting VP Duterte
The former senator was the spokesperson of the first group that filed impeachment raps against Duterte last December 2, 2025. Eventually, that complaint was consolidated into the fourth petition, which was filed and verified by 215 House lawmakers.
