VP Sara: I am the frontrunner in 2028 polls and they want me eliminated

"I am the frontrunner in the presidential race in 2028."

Those words coming from Vice President Sara Duterte as she linked the impeachment case filed against her and the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, by the International Criminal Court to the 2028 national elections.

Duterte made the comment in an interview with the Russian media, and its transcript was released by the Office of the Vice President on Wednesday night.

In the interview, Duterte said she believes that the government is making moves because President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. supposedly wants to stay in power.

"It's all about the refusal or the intent of President Marcos. It is the intent of President Marcos not to step down. He wants to perpetuate himself or his family in power. It is clear from the moves of his administration against political opponents," she said. 

Duterte, meanwhile, also said that the government is threatened by her popularity.

"The survey shows that. And I think they want to eliminate the frontrunner... They think that if they take out former President Duterte, they will weaken me because it's one brand, it's one family," said Duterte. 

Palace reacts

Reacting on the matter, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the Vice President's remark was just a diversionary tactic. 

The Palace official said Duterte was creating a narrative to disregard the issue of accountability. 

"At sabi nga natin, kapag ikaw ay taong-gobyerno at public servant ka, obligasyon mo na ipakita lahat at sagutin ang mga isyu na kakapalooban o kakasangkutan mo. So, ini-expect po natin iyan kay VP Sara dahil talagang mukhang diversionary tactic po ito," she said.

(If you are a real public servant, it's your obligation to show and answer the issues you are involved in. So we are expecting her because it seems it's just diversionary tactic.)

Malacañang on Monday hit back at Duterte following another tirade against Marcos, including calling the President and his leadership a ''budol'' or scam.

"Hindi natin alam kung sino ba ang nambubudol. Sa nakikita po natin na pagtatrabaho ng Pangulo, sa pag-uutos sa amin na focus sa trabaho at hindi pamumulitika – sino ba talaga ang nambubudol?'' said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro.

(Scam, really? I don't know who's scamming. As we see the President working and instructing us to focus on our jobs and not on politics, who's scamming?) 

Former allies

Vice President Duterte also stated that she has not yet decided whether to run for president in 2028.

"I have not planned anything for the presidential race of 2028. Some supporters have given me a deadline of the fourth quarter of the year 2026. So that is when I will decide if I will run for president on 2028," she said.

Relations between Marcos and Duterte, running mates in Eleksyon 2022, have turned frosty following House probes into the drug war under the administration of her father and the handling of confidential funds by offices under her leadership.

Duterte on Sunday said that she bore “no ill feelings” towards Marcos  but said that she found problems with his performance.

READ: Uniteam no more: Timeline of Marcos-Duterte tandem's woes

“I have no ill feelings with him with regard to the political persecution that I am receiving from the administration because that is part of the life of a politician," Duterte said in an interview during a support rally in Melbourne, Australia.

"I have problems with his performance as president and I have problems with the violations of our fundamental law, our constitution, particularly with the rendition of former President [Rodrigo] Duterte. That was really an affront to Philippine sovereignty,” she added.  

Castro previously said it would be the Vice President's loss if she regretted being teamed up with Marcos in the 2022 national elections. 

"Kung hindi po talaga siya makikinig at hindi niya po titingnan ang mga records na nangyayari sa gobyerno, wala po talaga siyang malalaman,'' she added. 

(If she won't listen and she won't check the records on what's happening in the government, she will not learn anything.)  — with Anna Felicia Bajo/VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News