VP Duterte: I already recruited running mate for 2028 elections

Vice President Sara Duterte has already “recruited” her running mate in the 2028 presidential race.

“May nirecruit ako. Hanggang dyan lang ha. Hanggang dyan lang ang sasabihin ko. Nirecruit ko siya last year pa,” she said in an interview over SMNI. 

(I have recruited someone. That’s all for now. That’s as much as I will say. I recruited that person last year.) 

“Kaso, huwag na muna natin ‘yan pag-usapan. Protektahan natin ‘yung tao hanggang sa makapag-desisyon siya kung anong gagawin niya sa karera niya,” Duterte added. 

(But, let’s not talk about that for now. Let’s protect the person until the person can decide what to do.)

Last week, Duterte announced her plan to run for President in the 2028 national elections.

She also apologized for helping President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos win in the 2022 elections.

Duterte and Marcos were running mates under the “UniTeam” alliance, but this team-up eventually soured and fell apart in 2024.

“Yung nire-recruit ko na Vice President, siya ang magpapanagot sa mga gumawa ng mali sa bayan,” Duterte said during her interview with SMNI. “Para ako, nakatutok ako sa trabaho ng Presidente.” 

(The Vice President I am recruiting will be the one to hold accountable those who did the nation wrong. This is so that I can remain focused on the work of the President.) 

During the announcement of her candidacy, Duterte ordered the removal of the logo of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) from the podium. 

Duterte explained that her office has nothing to do with her presidential bid. 

“O, kasi ‘yung declaration ko na tatakbo ako ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas, wala naman kasing kinalaman ‘yun sa Office of the Vice President. So meron pa rin akong trabaho hanggang ngayon bilang Pangalawang Pangulo, pero meron akong dinagdag na gagawin ko. At ‘yun yung pagpipresenta sa aking sarili para sa taong bayan na tumakbong Pangulo,” she said.

(Well, because my declaration that I am running for President of the Philippines has nothing to do with the Office of the Vice President. So, I still have a job as Vice President until now, but I’ve added something else to my tasks. And that is presenting myself to the people as a candidate for President.) 

When asked about her black outfit during the announcement, she said it is an act of protest against the Marcos administration. 

“Yung itim naman ay kulay ng protesta. Protesta laban sa administrasyon ni BBM, ni Marcos. So ‘yun yung kulay na napili namin noong 2025, noong tumakbo yung mga senators ng PDP-Laban, napili ni Senator Imee Marcos din, itim,” she said. 

(As for the black, it is the color of protest. A protest against the administration of BBM, of Marcos. So that was the color we chose in 2025, black.) 

“Dahil ‘yun yung nararamdaman ko eh. Nagluluksa dahil bakit umabot na sa ganito yung bayan natin, and nagluluksa dahil napakadilim noong nakikita kong kinabukasan natin sa administrasyon ni BBM,” she added. 

(Because that is what I am feeling. I am mourning why our country has come to this, and I am mourning because I see a very bleak future under the BBM administration.) 

After Duterte made the announcement last week, Malacañang commented: “Good luck.” — JMA, GMA Integrated News