FACT CHECK: Claire Castro quote on Marcos’ plans to run for VP is fake

Contrary to the claim, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made no announcements regarding Marcos' supposed vice presidential bid in 2028

AT A GLANCE

• Palace Press Officer Claire Castro did not make a statement confirming that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will run for vice president in 2028 or that he opposes Vice President Sara Duterte becoming president.
• The claim originated from a Facebook post that has been rated as false, with no credible evidence supporting it, and there are no official announcements from Marcos regarding the 2028 elections.
• Political tensions between the Marcos and Duterte camps have increased following the breakdown of their alliance, further complicating the political landscape.

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Claim: Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will run for vice president in the 2028 elections, but does not want to have incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte to serve as president.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Facebook user Abe De Ausen Reginaldo posted the claim on August 28 in a Facebook group named “Protect Vice President Sara Duterte.”

The post featured a graphic formatted as a quote card with the images of Castro and Marcos.

The text in the graphic, implied to be a quote attributed to Castro, reads: “Nagbago ang isip ng ating Pangulong Marcos Junior, tatakbo siya bilang Vice President ngayong 2028 election pero ayaw nyang maging presidente si Sara.”

(Our President, [Ferdinand] Marcos Jr. changed his mind. He will run for vice president in the 2028 election, but he does not want Sara [Duterte] to become president.)

In the comment section of the post, several users criticized Marcos and said that he would not win a potential vice presidential bid anyway. 

As of writing, the post has garnered over 1,700 reactions, 99 comments, and 33 shares.

The facts: There are no official reports, transcripts, or credible media statements showing that Castro made such a statement. Malacañang also held no regular press briefings on August 28.

Under Article VII, Section 4 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, a president is not eligible for any re-election, though legal interpretations vary on whether a sitting president can run for vice president after their term ends. As of writing, Marcos has made no official announcements regarding any plans for the 2028 polls.

Additionally, while Castro never said that Marcos does not want Duterte to be president, she did call Duterte’s remark that she was ready to assume the presidency should Marcos resign “absolutely delusional.”

UniTeam fallout: Following the breakdown of the “UniTeam” alliance between the Marcos and Duterte camps, political tension between supporters of both families has intensified. The tension escalated further following former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial over alleged constitutional violations, including grave threats against Marcos.

Debunked: The Facebook group where the claim was posted has previously circulated false pro-Duterte content, including a fake claim that tennis player Alex Eala wore a specific outfit to support Duterte’s 2028 presidential bid.

Rappler has also previously debunked a claim alleging that Marcos’ personnel orchestrated an alleged attack on Duterte in 2025. – Lyndee Buenagua/Rappler.com

Lyndee Buenagua is a journalist who primarily covers Bicol and Baguio City. She is also an alumna of the  Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024 and contributor for fact checks.

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