Sara Duterte Says She Will Not Support Any Candidates in the 2025 Election
SARA DUTERTE – Vice President Sara Duterte said she will not endorse any candidates in the 2025 election.
Duterte recently announced that she will not be endorsing any candidates for the 2025 elections, whether on the local or national level. Speaking at a press conference held at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) satellite office in Bacolod City, she cited her negative experiences from the 2022 elections as a major reason for her decision.
“As of this moment, it is my personal decision not to endorse any local or national candidates because my experience in the last election in 2022 was not good,” Duterte stated, reflecting on the challenges and consequences she faced after endorsing candidates in the past.
Sara Duterte acknowledged that her endorsements carry influence, which now makes her more cautious about urging the public to support any particular candidate.
Duterte’s statement came in response to a question about whether she would back former Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who is running against incumbent Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez for the position of congressman in Bacolod. Instead of endorsing anyone, she encouraged voters to make their choices based on candidates’ accomplishments rather than the endorsements of popular personalities.
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Duterte did not specify names, but her comments appeared to reflect her previous regrets about endorsing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022. She has even expressed remorse to members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, whom she had urged to support Marcos, citing a falling out with him over recent controversies. The split arose amid allegations of misuse of confidential funds within her office—a claim that the Vice President has categorically denied.
Meanwhile, Duterte also addressed the future of the OVP satellite offices, which are set to continue operating until December 31, 2024. Their fate, however, remains uncertain, as the government is reviewing the OVP’s budget for 2025. The House of Representatives previously recommended cutting her office’s budget by PHP 1.3 billion, reducing it to PHP 733 million from the original PHP 2.037 billion. The Senate has approved this reduction, though the budget still awaits final assessment by the bicameral conference committee.