By Patrick Tulfo
Why Did VP Sara Duterte Declare Her Candidacy Early?
The recent announcement of Vice President Sara Duterte to run for president in the upcoming 2028 elections didn’t come as surprise at all.
The main question on most people’s minds is the timing, as it seems the Vice President’s declaration came quite early
In our political history, declaring one’s candidacy for the highest position in the country too early is considered a political suicide. This is because the candidate becomes a target for attacks especially from future rivals
This is what happened to former Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay and former Senate President Manny Villar, who both declared their presidential bids early and were bombarded with criticisms and attacks, which contributed to their defeat
So why did VP Sara Duterte declare her intention to run for president in 2028 so early? According to some political analysts, this may be related to the fourth impeachment complaint filed against her in the House of Representatives.
It appears that the vice president’s camp may use the angle of political persecution to show voters that the impeachment complaints against her are politically motivated.
This could be a good strategy, especially considering the latest trust rating surveys released by Octa Research and Pulse Asia, which show that VP Sara’s trust rating remains higher than that of President Bongbong Marcos.
There is also an element of intimidation towards members of Congress if the impeachment proceeds. It’s as if VP Sara Duterte is signaling that if she wins the election. There will be consequences for lawmakers who are prosecuting her.
Meanwhile, alongside VP Sara’s announcement of her intention to seek the highest post in the country,her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, refused to recognize the jurisdiction of ICC over the cases filed against him.
We are now getting a glimpse of the narrative on how the Vice President’s campaign will run.
