VICE President Sara Duterte believes the arrest of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, and her impeachment case are aimed at eliminating her in the 2028 presidential elections.
In an interview with Russian state-owned news channel RT, Duterte said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has no intent to step down and that he and his family want to “perpetuate” themselves in power.
“It is clear from the moves of his administration against political opponents. And in fact, one of his relatives, and this is a personal knowledge of mine, has expressed that he wants to run for president,” Duterte said, without naming names.
She also said that when they failed in their bid to change the 1987 Constitution from a presidential to parliamentary form of government through the People’s Initiative, they began the process of impeachment against her.
Despite this, Duterte said that she has not planned anything for the 2028 presidential race, and that she will make her decision by the fourth quarter of 2026.
In a press briefing in San Fernando, Pampanga, Duterte said that if she announces her intent to run in the 2028 elections, she may get killed the next day.
“Because I am blamed for everything, as I am not yet being impeached until today. And I think the next one will be to kill that woman so that the problems of the administration will be gone. Not of the country, mind you, but the administration,” she said.
She also said that she is comforted by the fact that wherever she goes, people have expressed their support and their prayers for her father.
Duterte reiterated that her father’s arrest was “politically motivated” since the former president became a staunch critic of the Marcos administration.
“There are serious allegations and questions about his competency and allegations about drug abuse that came from the former president Duterte. And before his detention, there was a preparation by the former president of a campaign for his senatorial candidates for the PDP (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino), his political party,” the vice president said.
Duterte is detained in The Hague awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity related to his bloody war on drugs.
She said that her father’s arrest has made them closer, noting that they “forget their personal differences” if they have a common adversary, which is Marcos.
Duterte also told the news channel that her father has lost a lot of weight.
“He has no appetite because the way that the food is cooked is not really the same as traditional Filipino dishes. And, of course, there is that longing to be with familiar faces, family and friends. So there are certain days that it’s a good day, and there are certain days that it’s not,” Duterte said.
She reiterated that her father is not a flight risk due to his age and has no intention to intimidate witnesses despite the claims of the ICC’s prosecution.
Duterte also reiterated her view that the Philippines’ relationships with the United States and China should be two separate engagements and that the country should not lean on the United States for its problems in China, especially in its problems in the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero said the senators, sitting as the impeachment court, have the authority to dismiss the case against the vice president with a simple majority of 13 senators.
“A simple majority is needed in all voting. Two-thirds are needed to convict and acquit,” Escudero said.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano agreed that a dismissal is feasible, but added: “We should differentiate between what is possible and what should be done.”
As the Senate impeachment court prepares to reconvene, Cayetano emphasized the necessity of confirming the court’s jurisdiction. He said this was crucial, especially since the impeachment trial is expected to extend into the 20th Congress. “The logical first step for the Senate impeachment court is to confirm its jurisdiction before proceeding further,” Cayetano said.
