Sara Duterte Announces Presidential Bid After Surviving Impeachment as Vice President

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has announced she will stand as a presidential candidate in the country’s 2028 general election.

The announcement was made by Sara on Wednesday (18 February 2026). Sara had previously been embroiled in a bitter feud with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

She was subsequently impeached from the vice presidency last year. However, the Philippine Supreme Court overturned the impeachment on procedural grounds.

In announcing her presidential bid, as reported by AFP, Sara attacked the track record of Marcos Jr, who has held office since 2022.

“I offer my life, my strength, and my future to serve our country,” Sara said in a brief address.

“I am Sara Duterte. I will run for President of the Philippines,” she declared.

Sara is the daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. She accused Marcos Jr of engaging in corrupt practices and failing to honour promises made during the brief alliance that carried them both to a landslide victory in the 2022 Philippine presidential election.

“In the first few months of our term, I already saw Bongbong Marcos Jr’s lack of sincerity regarding the promises he made during the campaign, as well as his oath of loyalty to the nation,” Sara said, using Marcos Jr’s nickname.

The feud between the Duterte and Marcos clans intensified just weeks after their electoral victory. The conflict subsequently erupted into an all-out public war throughout 2025.

Sara’s presidential announcement came just days before her father, Duterte, is due to begin pre-trial hearings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, over allegations of crimes against humanity purportedly committed during the brutal anti-narcotics crackdown in the Philippines. The confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled to last four days and will determine whether there is sufficient evidence against Duterte to proceed to a full trial.

Sara is also facing renewed impeachment efforts in recent weeks. Members of the Philippine clergy filed an impeachment complaint against her on 9 February, one of three impeachment complaints lodged within a matter of days.

Under the Philippine Constitution, a public impeachment complaint triggers a trial in the Senate. A guilty verdict from the Senate would bar Sara from politics and eliminate her from potential candidacy in the 2028 presidential election.

Notably, presidential and vice-presidential elections in the Philippines are held separately. Voters do not choose a president-vice president ticket directly, as is the practice in other countries such as Indonesia.

The Philippine presidential term is six years, after which the incumbent is barred from seeking re-election.