Torre: No Plans Yet For 2028; Palace Says Too Early To Talk About Next Elections
Retired police general Nicolas Torre III said that he has no plans at this time to run in the 2028 elections while Malacañang won’t comment yet on the new UniTeam being proposed by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
Torre told “Storycon” on One News on Tuesday, Jan. 27, that he wants to focus on addressing Metro Manila’s traffic congestion and flooding issues in his capacity as Metro Manila Development Authority general manager.
Trillanes earlier said Torre and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla were the ones eyeing to run for high office in 2028.
Trillanes also suggested that Marcos loyalists forge a coalition with the so-called “Kakampinks” of former vice president and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo to defeat the Dutertes in 2028.
But as far as Malacañang is concerned, it is “too early” to talk about the 2028 presidential elections after Trillanes floated the idea of forming a new “UniTeam.”
UniTeam was the alliance between President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte in the May 2022 national elections.
When asked for comment, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Trillanes’ proposal has not yet been discussed with the President.
When pressed whether the Palace is open to the idea of forming an alliance with the President's political opponents in 2022, Castro said, “Maybe it’s too early to comment on that.”
Marcos and Robredo were rivals in the 2016 vice presidential elections and in the 2022 presidential race.
On Feb. 16, 2021, the Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, dismissed Marcos’ poll protest against Robredo for lack of merit.
Marcos and Robredo had a brief encounter during the inauguration of the Sorsogon Sports Arena in October 2024.
Marcos called it a “political reconciliation."
Meanwhile, some were saying the falling out between Marcos and Duterte started in 2023 when the House of Representatives – led by then speaker, and Marcos’ cousin, Martin Romualdez – stripped Duterte’s office of its confidential funds.
Duterte had declared that nothing can mend the strained relations between her and Marcos, which have reached “the point of no return.”
Asked previously whether he thinks the same, Marcos said, “Never say never.”
