Castro: Marcos admin not alarmed over Sara’s presidential bid declaration, ‘Team Black’

National

THE Marcos administration is not alarmed following Vice President Sara Duterte’s formal declaration of her 2028 presidential bid.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said the move was expected, suggesting that the Vice President’s intent had been apparent through what she described as campaigning efforts abroad in recent months.

“Would the President be frightened? It wasn’t really that frightening when she announced that she would run for the presidency, because you could clearly feel—even before—that she was already campaigning outside. So it wasn’t surprising when she announced that she would run for president,” Castro said in an Inquirer.net report.

The announcement comes at a politically sensitive time, arriving less than a week before former President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to face the International Criminal Court on February 23 for a confirmation of charges regarding his anti-drug campaign.

Despite the looming legal battles and the splintering of the 2022 "UniTeam" alliance—which saw Duterte secure a historic 32,208,417 votes (62 percent)—the Palace maintains that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is focused on governance rather than electioneering.

“If our President were to think only about what the Vice President is saying, this government would no longer function. So the President’s focus on improving the country’s economy, uplifting the lives of every Filipino, and resolving the flooding issue that has remained unsolved for so long will not be affected,” Castro added.

Regarding the possibility of a "Duterte-Marcos" tandem featuring Senator Imee Marcos—a scenario recently floated by Senator Robin Padilla—the Palace noted that the President has yet to offer a reaction.

Castro referred to the proponents of such a pairing as “Team Black,” reiterating that the Chief Executive's daily operations remain detached from the Vice President’s political timeline.

“None, it will not be affected. Would the President’s work really be affected just because a vice president merely announced that he/she is running for office?” Castro asked.(Jhon Mark A. Aboabo, USJR Comm Intern)