House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (Speaker’s office, Facebook)

Vice President Sara Duterte said her close allies in the House of Representatives have revealed that there are ongoing talks that say Speaker Martin Romualdez will be a candidate for president in the 2028 national elections.

“Ang sinasabi sa akin ng mga tiga-Mindanao ay pinag-uusapan talaga ang impeachment. At kapag tinatanong sila kung ano ang mangyayari sa 2028, ang sinasabi nila si Speaker Martin Romualdez ang candidate for 2028,” Duterte said in an ambush interview.

(What my allies from Mindanao are telling me is that they are really talking about impeachment. And when they are asked what will happen in 2028, they say Speaker Martin Romualdez is the candidate for 2028.)

This was Duterte’s statement after the hearing of the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability which is probing the alleged misuse of her office’s public funds.

Manila 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano, whose privilege speech led to the conduct of hearing, earlier warned Filipinos against voting for Duterte who he considers as a “presidential aspirant”.

When asked if these assertions have merit, Duterte said she will reveal her plans by the fourth quarter of 2026.

“Noong 2019, tinanong ninyo ako kung tatakbo ako sa 2022 [elections] at sinabi ko na mag-announce ako na tatakbo ako or hindi, January 2021,” she said.

(In 2019, you asked me if I will run in 2022 elections and I said that I will announce that I will either run or not in January 2021.)

“Sa ngayon, at this very minute, magsasabi ako kung tatakbo ako [in the 2028 presidential elections in the] fourth quarter ng 2026,” she added.

(Right now, at this very minute, I will say if I will run for the 2028 presidential elections in the fourth quarter of 2026.)

Duterte also shared that she has no plans to run for another position in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.

“Magpapahinga ako (I will rest) for midterm elections,” the Vice President said.

Once close allies, Duterte and Romualdez’s relationship have visibly turned sour in the past few months following the House of Representatives’ heavy scrutiny of the former’s usage of public funds, particularly the confidential funds.

Romualdez is the cousin of the current head of the government, President Marcos.