The resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte from the ruling political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats is the start of the breakdown of UnitTeam, the coalition of political parties that brought President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the presidency.

This was the assessment made by lawyer and former senatorial candidate Larry Gadon who also predicted that the 2028 presidential race will be headed by Duterte and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Gadon at the weekly Partners Media Forum in Quezon City said the breakdown of Lakas-CMD will also give birth to five other political parties who would also field their own candidate for the presidency, including Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago Party.

“Hugpong of Sara will register as a national political party,” to rival Romualdez who is now the president of Lakas-CMD,” Gadon said.

He also hinted that a new political party will emerge in the Visayan region and will be led by a political clan headed by Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez.

“Of course, LP (Liberal Party) will also field their own candidate,” Gadon added.

He did not divulge, however, the cabinet position he had been eyeing, as he ran with the UniTeam under Marcos’ Kilusang Bagong Lipunan.

Last 9 May, the one-year ban on appointing losing candidates expired, giving the president a prerogative to appoint party mates who lost in the last elections.