Sara claiming 2028 poll frontrunner a ‘diversionary tactic’ - Malacañang

Metro Manila, Philippines - Malacañang hit back at the latest tirades from Vice President Sara Duterte, especially branding as a “diversionary tactic” her remarks that her impeachment was meant to “eliminate” her as frontrunner in the 2028 presidential elections.

Duterte made the comment in an interview with Russian media on Wednesday, June 25, and said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not step down.

“He wants to perpetuate himself or his family in power,” she said. "It is clear from the moves of his administration against political opponents."

Duterte said the administration was behind her impeachment.

“Because I am the frontrunner in the presidential race in 2028, the survey shows that, and I think they want to eliminate the frontrunner,” Duterte said.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said it was a “diversionary tactic” expected from the vice president.

In a briefing on Thursday, Castro said such a narrative from Duterte was an attempt to veer away from accountability.

In February, over 200 lawmakers impeached the vice president for a number of issues, including the alleged misuse of confidential funds and the supposed assassination plot against Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and presidential cousin and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“Nais natin malaman ang katotohanan at ‘wag lang magtago sa naratibo na siya ang frontrunner para sa 2028 presidential elections,” Castro told reporters.

“Kung ikaw ay taong gobyerno, obligasyon mo na ipakita lahat at sagutin ang mga isyu na kakapalooban mo or kakasangkutan mo,” she said.

[Translation: We want to seek the truth. We should not hide behind the narrative that she’s the frontrunner in the 2028 presidential elections. If you’re a government official, it’s your obligation to show everything and answer all the issues you are linked to.]

Not photo opportunities

In an interview with the media on Wednesday, Duterte said she was frustrated with the “photo ops” (opportunities) of Marcos in an event to destroy seized illegal drugs.

On Wednesday morning, Marcos led the burning of over P9 billion in illegal drugs in Tarlac.

“Hindi trabaho ng presidente na mag-photo-op sa nahuling drugs at mag photo-op sa pagsira ng nahuling drugs,” Duterte said.

[Translation: It's not the president's work to have a photo-op with seized drugs and their destruction.]

Castro said it’s better to see the president doing something rather than nothing at all.

She then showed the media a printed news article of Duterte's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, also leading authorities in burning P7.5 billion in dangerous drugs in Cavite in 2020.

“Ang pagtatrabaho naman ay hindi dapat itago, dapat nakikita ng taumbayan, dapat nagre-report ang pangulo sa taumbayan,” she said.

[Translation: The president's work should not be hidden but reported to the public.]

Duterte has been lashing out against Marcos and his administration since 2024, just before the midterm elections, after a political fallout.