Sen. Robin Padilla has confirmed that he will not seek any public position in the 2028 national elections, saying he and his wife have already decided to relocate their family to an Islamic country.
During an interview with DWIZ on Saturday, Sept. 19, Padilla said the decision has been settled and that their planned move is intended to allow them to raise their child in an Islamic environment.
“Ay, final na po ‘yon. Oo, napag desisyunan na po namin ‘yan ng asawa ko. Tutuloy na lang po namin ‘yung aming plano na mag— sa isang Islamic country para mapalaki namin ‘yung anak namin sa Islamikong paraan,” he said.
Padilla had previously indicated that he could consider running as Vice President Sara Duterte’s running mate in 2028 after the two emerged as leading names in hypothetical election surveys. He later backed away from that possibility and said he does not see himself as suited for politics.
The senator announced his decision publicly through a Facebook post on Friday, explaining that the political environment in the Philippines was not compatible with him.
“Hindi ako bagay sa pulitika. Hindi ako bagay dito. Iba ang takbo ng pulitika ng Pilipinas. Hindi siya para sa akin,” he said.
Rather than pursuing another political position, Padilla said he intends to retain his role as a revolutionary. He also said he had attempted to contribute to efforts to improve the country during his time as an incumbent official but found the political system difficult to navigate.
“ang politika ng Pilipinas, hindi ko siya kaya,” Padilla said.
His plans for relocating abroad are not limited to a single destination. He identified Brunei and Malaysia among the countries under consideration, while also mentioning Scandinavian countries as possible options.
In his Facebook post, Padilla also named several individuals he would prefer to see paired with Duterte in the 2028 presidential race. The list included Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Sens. Imee Marcos, Christopher “Bong” Go, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Rodante Marcoleta, as well as Salvador Panelo, the former president’s legal counsel and spokesperson.
