Duterte vs Marcos battle for 2028 begins in Philippines: ‘they’ve smelled blood’
A surprising Duterte-Marcos midterm stalemate has shifted focus to the vice-president’s impeachment fight – and the next presidential race
“All politicians’ attention will be on 2028, on who has the best chance of winning,” said Ronald Llamas, political strategist and former presidential adviser.
“Whether overtly or covertly, politicians will begin to gravitate to whoever is No 1 or No 2 in surveys for the presidential elections,” he told This Week in Asia.
Unfortunately for the Marcoses, early surveys have not been kind. President Marcos himself is barred from seeking re-election in 2028 by constitutional term limits, even if his popularity were higher. His cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, has been floated as a potential contender, but his abysmal approval ratings – reportedly less than 1 per cent – make him an unlikely flag-bearer for the Marcos camp.
