President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads the meeting de avance of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates in Mandaluyong City on May 9, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Administration senatorial candidates got most of their votes from Luzon and parts of the Visayas and were mostly “shut off” from Mindanao, where the Dutertes maintain a strong influence.

ABS-CBN News asked WR Numero president Cleve Arguelles to analyze the electoral support that Alyansa candidates Panfilo Lacson, Vicente Sotto III, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Lito Lapid, and of Imee Marcos.

He found they won and lost in similar areas.

He said around 70 percent of former Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s votes came from Luzon — except in Bicol. The bulk of the rest came from Western Visayas and Negros Island.

'Alyansa' candidate Ping Lacson says admin machinery 'failed'

'SHUT OFF' FROM MINDANAO

It was the same story even for ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo, whom he referred to as Alyansa’s standard-bearer.

“It's from the same regions yung pinagkunan nila ng mga boto at medyo shut off sila mula sa Mindanao," Arguelles said of the administration bets.

(They got their votes from the same regions and they were a bit shut off from Mindanao)

Alyansa bets also had a weak showing in Central Visayas — where vote-rich Cebu province is — and in Eastern Visayas, home region of House Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte.

Sen. Lito Lapid holds a motorcade in Quezon City. Handout photo 

Sen. Lito Lapid had a slightly different voter profile, getting support from the Bicol Region, where other administration candidates did not fare as well.

"So interesting ‘yan na medyo nakakuha siya ng maraming boto sa Bicol Region at sa Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) at iba pang bahagi ng Visayas, kagaya ng Region 6 (Western Visayas),” Arguelles said.

(So, it is interesting that he got more votes in the Bicol Region, Region and Region 6)

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiango, campaign manager for the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, said the slate suffered because of the impeachment of Vice President Duterte and the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court.

Alyansa campaign manager: VP impeachment, Duterte surrender to ICC cost admin slate the election

SARA DUTERTE ENDORSEMENT BOOSTS VILLAR, SAVES IMEE

Villar and Marcos however are a different story altogether, as they clearly benefitted from the last minute endorsement of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Arguelles said Villar gained fewer votes "in reversed" areas that the Duterte slate got the most votes and did not do well in traditionally vote-rich places like Central Luzon, Metro Manila and Calabarzon.

Vice President Sara Duterte together with Senator Robin Padilla endorse the PDP-LABAN senatorial slate during the party’s miting de avance at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila City on May 8, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News 

Villar got solid votes in Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region but “did not take advantage” of other areas in the “Solid North” regions identified with the Marcoses.

"Malinaw na naka-benefit siya sa Duterte endorsement, kasi nakakuha pa din siya ng bahagya na malalaking boto mula sa Mindanao,” Arguelles said. 

(She clearly benefited from the Duterte endorsement because she got slightly more votes from Mindanao) 

Marcos, the president's sister, was still carried by the family’s  bailiwick in the Ilocos Region, but she also clearly reaped the benefits of being with Duterte.

"Baka kung hindi niya nakuha o niligawan yung mga Duterte supporters, baka din nalaglag siya," Arguelles said.

(If she didn't get or court the Duterte supporters, she might not have made it)

Sen. Marcos placed 12th in the Senate race. — RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News