By Adrian H. Halili and Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporters
PHILIPPINE Vice-President (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday said she would run for President in 2028, becoming the first major political figure to declare her intention to seek the country’s top post amid an escalating feud with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr.
“I am Sara Duterte, I will run for President of the Philippines,” she said in a prepared statement in Filipino. She declined to answer questions after.
The 1987 Constitution limits Mr. Marcos to a single six-year term, and he has yet to endorse a successor.
Before announcing her presidential ambition, Ms. Duterte said running with Mr. Marcos in 2022 was a mistake, accusing him of failing to fulfill his campaign promises and of being complicit in what she described as a large-scale corruption scheme involving the 2025 national budget.
“I cannot kneel before every Filipino to ask for forgiveness,” said Ms. Duterte, who is facing a fresh impeachment bid in the House of Representatives. “Instead, I offer my life, my strength and my future in service to our nation.”
“In the first months of our terms, I saw Bongbong Marcos, Jr.’s lack of loyalty, both in the promises he made during the campaign, and in his sworn duty to the people,” she added.
Mr. Marcos wished the Vice-President “good luck,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing.
She said Ms. Duterte should apologize for her shortcomings during her tenure as Education secretary, including alleged corruption, the use of confidential funds, overseas travel expenses, and remarks against the President.
“She should first apologize for the issues of corruption and alleged embezzlement of confidential funds of her two offices at that time — the Office of the Vice-President and the Department of Education,” Ms. Castro said in Filipino. “She should also apologize for all the slander instead of working and helping the government.”
Ms. Duterte served as Education chief from 2022 to 2024 after the Marcos-Duterte tandem won a landslide victory under the “UniTeam” banner. She left the Marcos Cabinet amid allegations of irregularities in the Education department, the government’s largest agency by budget.
Congressmen revived impeachment complaints against her earlier this month, and Ms. Duterte now faces three separate cases at the House. “If there is still an impending impeachment, it is because of her own actions,” Ms. Castro said.
Ms. Duterte has denied wrongdoing.
The rift between Mr. Marcos and Ms. Duterte has widened in recent months following policy disagreements and political tensions between their camps.
The political dispute has also unfolded against the backdrop of the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, by the International Criminal Court over charges of crimes against humanity related to his anti-drug campaign.
The House impeached her last year but the Supreme Court voided the proceedings for violating her right to due process.
‘SMARTER’ MOVE
Anthony Lawrence A. Borja, a political science professor at De La Salle University, said the Vice-President’s move could heighten tensions in Congress and pressure lawmakers who have yet to take sides amid the impeachment complaints at the House.
“If they are spooked in favor of Duterte, then the impeachment deliberations might slow down,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “If the Marcos camp decides to apply a strong hand to ensure loyalty, then it becomes a question of whether it can provide enough incentives to keep legislators in line.”
Hansley A. Juliano, a political science lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University, said lawmakers should consider pursuing electoral violation cases instead of impeachment.
“It would be smarter to subject her to electoral violation cases that can be traced back to her previous runs,” he said via Messenger chat. “Previous Presidents have been subjected to this to bolster potential bans on running.”
Meanwhile, opposition Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel said the “united opposition,” composed of leaders from the Liberal Party and reform-oriented groups, had yet to name its standard-bearer for the 2028 elections.
“We are in the process of setting our own timeline,” she told a news briefing. “Even before this recent important development, we were continuing to level off and agree on what our qualifications were in our ranks.”
Ms. Hontiveros said they expect to announce their candidate by the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2027. She added that their preferred presidential bet should demonstrate a commitment to anti-corruption, good governance, stronger economic growth, national unity and sovereignty.
The senator has said she remains open to running for President in 2028 if the united opposition reaches a consensus around her candidacy.
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