Philippine VP Sara Duterte to Run for Presidency Amid Corruption Complaints

TL/DR –

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has announced her intention to run for president in the 2028 election. She had previously supported incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, but the two have since become rivals, particularly after a corruption inquiry into Duterte’s misuse of government funds and Marcos’s approval of the arrest of her father, ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, currently on trial at the ICC for crimes against humanity. Vice President Duterte is also facing impeachment complaints for alleged corruption and issuing a death threat against President Marcos.

Philippine VP Sara Duterte Announces Presidential Run Amidst Corruption Allegations

The vice president has declared her intention to run for president in 2028, following multiple impeachment complaints over corruption allegations.

Erin Hale and Ted Regencia | Published On 18 Feb 2026 | Click here to share on social media

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte expressed her intention to run for president in the 2028 election, following her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who currently faces trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his crimes against humanity.

“My life was never meant to be only mine,” Sara Duterte said, expressing her realization after 47 years. “The weight of responsibility to my family, my country, and everyone who called on me,” she added during a livestreamed address.

She publicly apologized for her previous support for incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Duterte emphasized the Philippines’ struggle with issues like corruption, poverty, and a cost-of-living crisis.

Duterte and Marcos have turned into rivals after a 2024 corruption inquiry into Duterte’s misuse of government funds. Their relationship further deteriorated when Marcos approved the arrest of her father by the Philippine National Police and Interpol on behalf of the ICC.

This week, Duterte faces several impeachment complaints for alleged corruption and threats against President Marcos in the House of Representatives. Her father awaits the confirmation of charges against him for his “war on drugs” while he was president.

Political scientist Cleve Arguelles believes her father’s trial in The Hague increases the stakes for the vice president’s political future. He suggests the announcement aims to “freeze panic inside” her political faction “before it prematurely unravels”.