Leni rules out nat’l run in ’28
Former Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday ruled out a run for national office in the 2028 elections, saying she preferred to remain in Naga City, a move analysts said could weaken the opposition’s effort to challenge Vice President Sara Duterte’s political ambitions.
Robredo said she plans to seek a second term as mayor of Naga City, an independent component city southeast of the capital, where she is serving in a more low-profile role compared to her turbulent stint as vice president in the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I am certain about myself that I will no longer run for any national position,” Robredo said in Bicol during an interview with RMN dwNX Naga radio.
Strong support
Robredo retains strong grassroots support despite having stepped back from national politics after her failed 2022 presidential bid, when she lost by a landslide to President Marcos and Vice President Duterte, who ran on a joint ticket.
A leading opposition figure during the elder Duterte’s presidency from 2016 to 2022, Robredo emerged as a key voice for dissent in that period, which was marked by allegations of widespread human rights violations.
“I am aware that some still want me to run… [But] now, it is far from my horizon to return to national politics,” Robredo said.
She vowed instead to achieve the goals she had set when she ran for Naga mayor last year.
“Three years is too short to accomplish everything,” she said. “It’s frustrating for me… because there are so many things I want to do that I cannot rush.”
Power vacuum
Political analysts told the Inquirer that Robredo’s decision not to seek higher office could create a power vacuum among opposition figures and weaken their ability to mount a challenge against Vice President Duterte and her party.
Duterte had earlier announced her plan to run for president in 2028.
Still, Robredo’s supporters must respect her choice not to seek a national post in the 2028 elections, said Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, though she remains the opposition’s strongest hope.
“She is the most credible and popular among the anti-Duterte, anti-Marcos, anti-trapo voters compared to other opposition figures,” Atienza said.
It will be a challenge for the opposition to find another choice with the same kind of grassroots support, Atienza noted.
“They need to get their act together,” she said. “It is an uphill battle but they need to learn the lessons from 2022. Start early, unite, and offer the electorate tangible and practical policy and program alternatives given the problems the country is facing.”
Anthony Lawrence Borja, an associate professor of political science at De La Salle University, warned that failing to act early on the part of the opposition “might project an image of disunity to the general public.”
“Given that we are in a leader-centric society, her blessing is necessary for this process of consolidation,” he said in a text message. “Her fanatics will follow whoever she endorses.”
‘Critical juncture’
For Arjan Aguirre, an assistant professor of political science at Ateneo de Manila University, Robredo’s decision should not be seen as a “step back” for the opposition.
He described Robredo’s decision as a “critical juncture” for sustaining gains made in 2025, when public outrage over the trillion‑peso flood control scandal could shape political alliances toward reforms.
“This moment tests whether the movement can evolve from one centered on a single figure into one grounded in broader coalitions, shared principles, and organizational depth,” he said in a text message.
“The challenge is whether these actors can bridge networks, coordinate reform-oriented groups, and sustain grassroots momentum from previous cycles while offering a clear direction beyond their core base,” he added.
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