Administration-Backed Senatorial Candidates Dispute Mindanao Setback Claims
Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers dismissed claims that administration-backed senatorial candidates struggled in Mindanao due to the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. He argued that such observations do not reflect the true sentiment of Mindanaoan voters.
A campaign manager for the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas and Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco had earlier suggested that the House’s decision to forward the impeachment articles to the Senate in February hurt the chances of administration-backed senatorial candidates in Mindanao, a region known for its strong Duterte support.
However, Barbers countered this by highlighting the election results. “The results speak for themselves… 36 out of 44 Mindanao lawmakers who signed the impeachment complaint were reelected. That’s a clear 81.81% win rate. If the impeachment was such a political liability, we would’ve been wiped out in our own districts. But we were not—we were overwhelmingly returned to office,” he explained.
He further emphasized that voters did not choose candidates based on their stance toward the Duterte family. “They did not vote based on who defended or attacked a Duterte. They voted for local leaders who delivered, who stood their ground, and who worked with integrity.”
Leadership and Voter Support in Mindanao
Barbers asserted that Mindanao voters supported administration-backed senatorial candidates because of their courage to uphold the rule of law despite facing pressure from influential figures. “Mindanao voters backed us because we had the spine to uphold the rule of law, even if it meant taking on powerful names,” he said.
He described this stance not as political suicide but as true leadership. “That is not political suicide—that is leadership,” Barbers added.
Factors Behind Senate Campaign Outcomes
According to Barbers, winning a Senate seat relies heavily on message, machinery, and momentum rather than avoiding scrutiny of political figures. He explained, “Senate campaigns are won with message, machinery, and momentum—not by shielding sacred cows from scrutiny. If some candidates underperformed, it was because we didn’t connect enough at the national level, not because we fought for truth and transparency.”
In the recent election, six out of the eleven candidates supported by the President secured Senate seats, reflecting mixed results for administration-backed senatorial candidates.
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