Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte has declared her intention to run for president in the country's 2028 election. In a speech on Wednesday, the 47-year-old daughter of former leader Rodrigo Duterte said she would offer her 'life, strength and future' in service of the Philippines, while accusing current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr of presiding over rampant corruption.
Sara Duterte was once allied with Marcos Jr, running on a joint ticket with him in the 2022 election and winning a landslide victory. However, she resigned from the cabinet two years later after a bitter feud erupted between them. Relations soured further after her father, Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in Manila and flown to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his anti-drugs crackdown, which resulted in thousands of deaths.
In her speech, Sara Duterte apologised for having helped Marcos Jr's election bid, expressing regret over 'blatant abuse of our institutions for the personal interests of politicians'. She also criticised rising prices of basic goods, insufficient family incomes, lack of food security, and a failing healthcare system. Polls suggest she would be a strong contender in the 2028 election, despite facing legal troubles including impeachment cases and allegations of misuse of funds and threatening to assassinate the president, which she has denied.
President Marcos cannot seek re-election due to constitutional term limits. He has faced pressure over a corruption scandal involving allegedly misspent billions on bogus flood relief projects, though he has pledged zero tolerance for corruption.
