VP Sara to run for President

Philippine Vice-President 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 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. 

Before that, she 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.”  

She has been accused of corruption and misuse of public funds. She 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. Their alliance delivered a landslide victory in 2022 but has since fractured publicly. 

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. — Adrian Hi. Halili