- Sara issues public apology as she launches 2028 presidential bid
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte announced her candidacy for president of the Philippines on Wednesday, Feb. 18, while issuing a public apology for her role in the election of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Speaking at a press conference, Duterte accused the Marcos administration of “betrayal” and “widespread corruption,” citing these as the primary reasons for her resignation from the Cabinet.
Ending months of speculation, Duterte concluded her address by pivoting from a “life of responsibility” to a life of direct political challenge.
“I cannot kneel before every Filipino to beg for forgiveness; instead, I offer my life, my strength, and my future in the service of our nation,” she declared. “I am Sara Duterte, and I am running for President of the Philippines.”
Duterte noted that she had expected impeachment proceedings to be the “price” for her dissent since 2023, but remained undeterred.
The apology
“I ask for your forgiveness for helping Bongbong Marcos Jr. be elected as President of our country,” Duterte said. “I apologize that, until now, so many Filipinos are still drowning in floods due to widespread corruption… I apologize that we have no real food security and that lives are lost due to a lack of an effective healthcare system.”
Duterte claimed she witnessed a “lack of loyalty” to campaign promises and the Filipino people within the first months of their term.
She further alleged that the 2025 national budget was “riddled with corruption,” which she claimed made her position in the Cabinet untenable.
In a mix of Filipino and Cebuano, she expressed deep-seated fears for the next generation, noting that while she does not fear the “destruction” of her own name by political opponents, she fears a future where poverty is accepted as fate.
“I have a fear that the day will come when we will just accept poverty as our destiny… and that we will lose hope,” she said. “Most of all, I fear the day when we no longer have a Philippines to give to our children.”
