Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has declared her intention to run for president in the 2028 elections, intensifying her feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and complicating her political future as she faces multiple impeachment complaints and criminal investigations.
In a televised press conference in Manila on Wednesday, 18th February 2026, Ms Duterte renewed sharp accusations of corruption and misrule against Mr Marcos. The two had been allies as running mates in the 2022 election, winning in a landslide, but their relationship has since deteriorated into open hostility.
Ms Duterte and her family have accused Mr Marcos of contributing to the detention of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who led the country from 2016–2022. Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in March 2025 following an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his anti-drugs campaign. He was surrendered to the ICC in The Hague, where a confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled for 23rd February 2026.
During her speech, Ms Duterte criticised Mr Marcos for failing to deliver on campaign promises and presiding over persistent issues, including government corruption, law and order challenges, and inflation. She apologised to the public for these problems and for her role in supporting Mr Marcos’s 2022 victory.
“Politicians often avoid announcing their plans early so they wouldn’t be the target of attacks,” she said.
“But this administration has long destroyed my name.”
She concluded firmly: “I am Sara Duterte. I will run for president of the Philippines.”
Ms Duterte left the news conference without answering questions.
Mr Marcos, who is constitutionally limited to a single six-year term and cannot seek re-election in 2028, has not directly responded to the announcement or the renewed allegations. Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro called on Ms Duterte to apologise for claims of irregularities and corruption and for frequent personal trips abroad.
“She should ask forgiveness for focusing on destroying reputations of other people instead of doing her work and helping the government,” Ms Castro said.
Ms Castro also cautioned the public regarding Ms Duterte’s ambitions: “Let’s be cautious and analytical. Somebody who is seeking your vote maybe a Manchurian candidate.”
Ms Duterte’s bid comes amid intense scrutiny. Most allegations against her were featured in an impeachment complaint she survived last year on a technicality. The House of Representatives voted to impeach her and forwarded the case to the Senate for trial, but the Supreme Court ruled that the House violated the constitutional provision allowing only one impeachment proceeding per year against an impeachable official.
New impeachment complaints filed this month focus on her alleged illegal use and mishandling of $10.3 million (approximately P612.5 million) in confidential funds from her Office of the Vice President and her previous role as education secretary under Mr Marcos. Reports indicate that portions of these funds, including P125 million spent in just 11 days in December 2022, faced disallowance by the Commission on Audit.
Additional complaints cite unexplained wealth in personal bank accounts, with an anti-graft prosecutor seeking access to those accounts in a separate criminal probe. One complaint also references a 2024 online statement in which Ms Duterte threatened to have Mr Marcos, his wife, and the House Speaker killed if she were assassinated.
During earlier House investigations, Ms Duterte declined detailed responses and absented herself from some televised hearings. Her lawyer, Michael Poa, expressed confidence in her ability to address the accusations: “A fair and impartial review will demonstrate that the accusations are devoid of both factual and legal basis.”
Ms Duterte has faced criticism for not publicly condemning China’s assertive actions in the disputed South China Sea, contrasting with Mr Marcos’s approach of strengthening defence ties with the US to counter Beijing.
The early declaration of her 2028 candidacy, more than two years before the election scheduled for May 2028, has drawn attention as a strategic move amid impeachment pressures and the fractured political landscape in the Philippines.
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