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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Will it be Sara vs Leni in 2028? Solon offers his criteria for voters

Will it be Sara vs Leni in 2028? Solon offers his criteria for voters

Published Feb 22, 2026 01:03 pm

At A Glance

  • Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. has given an early breakdown of what voters should look for in the event that Vice President Sara Duterte ends up tangling with Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo in the high-stakes 2028 Palace race.
Vice President Sara Duterte (left), Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo (Facebook)
Vice President Sara Duterte (left), Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo (Facebook)


Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. has given an early breakdown of what voters should look for in the event that Vice President Sara Duterte ends up tangling with Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo in the high-stakes 2028 Palace race.
Right off the bat, Abante--speaking during the media forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City on Saturday, Feb. 21--said that corruption issues should be a deciding factor for voters.
“Meron bang complaints si Leni sa corruption, compared to the Vice President right now? ‘Yun dapat na makita ng taong bayan. Hindi pinag-uusapan dito ang personality. Ang pinag-uusapan dito, kailangan natin ng pangulo na matino at malinis,” Abante said.
(Does Leni have complaints about corruption, compared to the Vice President right now? That is what the people should see. This is not about personality. What we are talking about here is that we need a president who is upright and clean.)
It should be noted that Abante endorsed one of the four existing impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte. A common allegations across four complaints is Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds.
Last Feb. 18, Duterte shocked many by announcing her presidential bid despite the elections being a full two years away. Almost immediately, pundits brought up former Vice President Robredo's name as the strongest potential challenger to the Dabawenya.
“Dapat may track record, meron mai-ooffer sa bayan na iba, na makikita natin na ang bansang Pilipinas ay lalong tatayo, lalong magiging maganda (There must be a track record, something to offer the nation that will show the Philippines can stand taller and become better),” Abante said.
On paper, Robredo and Duterte shared similarities on their political resumes. The Manila solon said makes the comparison even more dependent on results and competence rather than branding or popularity.
“Ano ba ‘yung nagawa ni Sara when she was the secretary of DepEd for two years? Ano ba ‘yung ginawa niya? Nadagdagan ba ‘yung mga classroom? Gumanda ba ‘yung restrooms sa mga public school? Gumanda ba ang ating education? At this point in time, kahit ngayon, nakikita natin, ang education natin ay hindi maganda,” he noted.
(What did Sara accomplish when she was Secretary of DepEd for two years? Did classrooms increase? Did public school restrooms improve? Did our education improve? At this point in time, even now, we can see that our education is not in good shape.)
Abante argued that any serious presidential bid should come with a clear offer to the country that goes beyond mere inheritance politics.
"Ano ang mai-ooffer mo sa bayan (What can you offer to the country?) For example, if you’re going to repeat the performance of your father as president, is that what you can offer the country? Or meron ka pwedeng sabihin na may mai-ooffer ka sa bansa natin bilang isang Pangulo ng Pilipinas na hindi ka na naniniwala sa political dynasty, kung hindi ang pinaniniwalaan mo ‘yung pangangailangan ng taong bayan?” the pastor-solon further said.
(For example, if you are only going to repeat the performance of your father as president, is that all you can offer the country? Or can you say that you have something to offer as President of the Philippines who no longer believes in political dynasty, but instead believes in the needs of the people?)
Abante reckoned that there should also be a "continuity of progress" from the current administration to the next.
"Dapat may continuity of economic rehabilitation, for example. Sapagkat Pag-iibahin mo na naman ‘yung programa pag pangulo ka, sapagkat wala kang belief sa dating pangulo, hindi po nakakaganda ‘yun sa bansang Pilipinas, because that is just playing politics," he explained.
(There must be continuity of economic rehabilitation, for example. Because if you change the program again when you become president, simply because you do not believe in the previous president, that does not benefit the Philippines, because that is just playing politics.)
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