Baricuatro welcomes Duterte's presidential bid but..

Local

CEBU Gov. Pamela Baricuatro signaled a cautious stance on national political talk, toning down discussion of alignments and stressing that she is “color-blind” for now even as Vice President Sara Duterte announced her plan to run for president in 2028.

Baricuatro, a staunch supporter of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, acknowledged the vice president’s intention and said she welcomes it, but emphasized that she is setting aside political conversations so they do not interfere with governance.

She indicated that her priority is to focus on provincial work, deliver results under her administration, and avoid early discussions about political alignments.

She said she prefers to concentrate on running Cebu Province and strengthening programs rather than speculating on the next national elections, underscoring that politics can be discussed at a later time.

“I know that’s her intention and I welcome it,” Baricuatro said during a press conference at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, February 18.

Baricuatro reiterated that despite national political developments, she is keeping her focus on governance and maintaining a “color-blind” approach as she attends to provincial affairs.

The vice president formally declared her candidacy at her headquarters in Mandaluyong City, ending years of speculation about her political plans.

She did not respond to follow-up questions after the announcement and remains a consistent frontrunner in presidential preference surveys.

“I am Sara Duterte. I will run for president of the Philippines,” she said.

Her declaration comes amid a political rift with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with whom she ran on a joint ticket in 2022 that later unraveled as they pursued separate political interests.

The president is ineligible for re-election, and his allies have yet to field a challenger.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte remains detained in The Hague following action by the International Criminal Court over crimes against humanity allegations linked to his anti-drug campaign.

Malacañang reacted briefly to the announcement, with Palace press officer Claire Castro saying President Marcos responded by wishing the vice president well and noting that he was smiling when he made the remark, while declining to characterize whether it was sincere or sarcastic.

Marcos and Duterte ran as tandemmates in the 2022 national elections under the UniTeam alliance, a coalition that united their political camps and delivered a landslide victory.

However, their partnership later deteriorated into a political fallout as differences between the Marcos and Duterte camps became increasingly public.(MyTVCebu)