Sara Duterte declines Marcos, Duterte Sr.'s senatorial invites

Vice President Sara Duterte stated on Thursday that both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, invited her to support their respective senatorial candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, but she declined both invitations.

During a meeting before her resignation as Education chief, President Marcos invited Duterte to join his administration's senatorial campaign, which she declined.

In another encounter with her father, he also urged her to campaign for Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) candidates, an invitation that she similarly turned down.

Duterte said she needs time to consider her next steps in the midterm elections before committing to either request and plans to meet with Senators Christopher Lawrence 'Bong' Go and Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa after Marcos' State of the Nation Address.

Despite her father's previous claims, Duterte reiterated that her brothers Paolo and Sebastian Duterte may still run for Senate seats, but decisions can change up until the last minute.

Political analysts suggest that Duterte’s actions in the midterms are a way to gauge her potential success in the 2028 presidential race.