Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said she will run for president in the next election in 2028, declaring her bid amid a deepening feud with the incumbent leader and fresh impeachment attempts against her.
“I offer my life, my strength and my future in the service of our nation,” she said at a briefing on Wednesday. “I am Sara Duterte, I will run for the Philippine presidency.”
Duterte apologized for helping elect President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022. The two politicians joined forces for a landslide win that year, but their alliance has since unraveled due to policy differences and personal attacks.
“My fellow countrymen, I apologize. Forgive me if I helped elect BBM as the president of our country,” she said, referring to Marcos. Duterte went on to lament the widespread corruption in the government and alluded to graft scandals in flood control projects. She left shortly after making the statement.
The 47-year-old politician’s announcement comes as she faces impeachment attempts that could lead to her ouster and a potential ban from politics.
Impeachment complaints against her involve allegations of misusing public funds and threats to assassinate Marcos, all of which she has denied.
“She is effectively shielding herself politically. The impeachment proceedings can now be framed as part of an electoral contest,” said Ederson Tapia, a professor at the University of the Philippines, noting that her camp can now argue the case is politically motivated.
Sara, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, enjoys higher public support ratings compared with Marcos and is considered a top contender to succeed him in 2028.
While the House of Representatives impeached her last year, the Senate shelved the complaint after the Supreme Court invalidated it on procedural grounds.
Meanwhile, her father Rodrigo Duterte remains detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over crimes against humanity. The Marcos administration turned him over to the ICC last year, with hearings set to begin next week.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro responded with a simple “good luck” when asked to comment on Sara Duterte’s presidential bid.
