Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte has declared her candidacy for president in the 2028 elections.
The 47-year-old’s announcement comes as she is embroiled in a bitter power struggle with current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
While the presidential vote is two years away, contenders in the Philippines’ largely personality-based elections often begin preparing years in advance.
Marcos is ineligible for re-election, and his allies have yet to field a challenger to Duterte, who is also the daughter of his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“I offer my life, my strength, and my future in the service of our nation,” the vice-president said.
“I am Sara Duterte. I will run for president of the Philippines.”
Marcos and Duterte ran under the same ticket in the 2022 election, which they won by a landslide. But the alliance soon unravelled as they pursued separate political interests.
The feud blew up spectacularly in March 2025, when Marcos allowed the International Criminal Court to arrest Sara’s father. The elder Duterte is now detained at The Hague, awaiting trial for crimes against humanity over his violent war on drugs.
Two months later, a mid-term legislative vote, seen as a barometer of support for the incumbent government, delivered a victory for candidates endorsed by the Duterte family, against those handpicked by Marcos.
Just over a week ago, members of the Catholic clergy filed an impeachment complaint against the vice-president over alleged corruption, which she denies.
Who is Sara Duterte?
Sara is Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest daughter and is widely-considered as his political heir.
The elder Duterte once described his daughter as the “alpha” in their family, the one whom everyone follows.
Sara served as vice-mayor to her father when he led Davao city in the 2010s. It was in that southern metropolis that the Duterte’s built their reputation for being tough on crime, which they have described as necessary to keep people safe and encourage businesses to grow.
Sara was thrust into the national spotlight when, in defence of shanty town dwellers, she punched a Davao sheriff in full view of TV news cameras.
She was Davao city mayor when her father was president from 2016 and 2022, and her alliance with Marcos in the 2022 elections was pivotal for both their election victories.
The vice-president, like her father, projects a tough image. She rides large motorcycles and has given her children nicknames like Sharky, Stonefish and Stingray. She also shares matching tattoos with her two brothers.
