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'24 republics'

July 09, 2025

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The Philippine Star

Adding another layer to the Senate leadership debate, former Senate president Franklin Drilon lamented the absence of a true political party system in the upper chamber, calling the Senate a "confederation of 24 republics."

- — With Mark Ernest Villeza

In an interview on "Storycon" over One News, Drilon said the ongoing scramble for Senate leadership highlights the fluidity of political affiliations, where senators prioritize personal agendas over party principles.

"There are no political parties to talk of. In the Senate, there are 24 political parties. Let's not kid each other," said Drilon. "Each senator is a separate political party."

He traced the collapse of the traditional two-party system to martial law, when the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. abolished political parties.

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