Rodrigo Duterte has announced he is quitting politics: he will not run for Philippine vice presidential candidate in 2022

The current President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, announced on Saturday that he would not run for vice-presidential candidate in the 2022 election and that he would quit politics. once his term has ended.

The chief released his unexpected decision after accompanying the senator Bong Go, one of his closest politicians, to the Electoral Commission so that formalize his candidacy for the vice-presidency to replace the current president.

“Most Filipinos think that I am not qualified (for the job) and (that if I attended) it would be a violation of the spirit of the Constitution.”Duterte, 76, said in a brief speech in which he also announced his “Withdrawal from policy”.

Duterte himself publicly accepted at the beginning of September the proposal of his PDP-Laban party to run for vice-presidency in the elections scheduled for next May, given the legal impossibility of revalidating his mandate.

An intention seen by some analysts as a a way to try to evade justice after the International Criminal Court (ICC) on September 15 gave the green light to investigate the war on drugs, launched by Duterte upon coming to power.

The war on drugs, which has claimed thousands of lives in raids on suspected traffickers and drug addicts, is the bloodiest legacy left by the Duterte presidency., a president who has starred in many controversies and strong explosions.

The electoral commission on Friday began registering candidates to participate in the upcoming elections, where the new president will be elected – for a single mandate of 6 years-, the vice-president -a practically ceremonial post-, several senators and other minor posts.

Former Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was the first to formalize his career for the head of state, to which the actor-turned-politician should also apply Francisco domagoso, current mayor of Manila and former police chief Panfilo Lacson.

Pacquiao, 42, who He is currently a senator, he will run for the Philippine Democratic Party-People’s Power (PDP-Laba), on the left, and pledged to fight poverty and corruption.

Also, assured that it will improve internet service and reduce the cost of electricity in the Philippines, as well as this, as well as it will work to solve the coronavirus pandemic.

“My candidacy is not only for me and my family, but also for the Filipino people (to) give them a better future, especially those who have suffered for a long time, ”he declared when presenting his candidacy to the Electoral Commission.

“To those who rob the Filipino people, their happy days in government are numbered”, added, to stress that this is his “promise to the Filipino people and to God”.

Pacquiao, champion in eight different weight classes, announced his retirement from boxing last week., in the “most difficult decision” of his life after decades of successful career.

For the time being, Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of the current president, has not made public her intentions to run for president, although he previously refused to attend the event with his father.

According to surveys by the Asia-Pulse agency, Duterte-Carpio is the policy that adds the most support if she decides to show up for work.

(With information from EFE, Europa Press and AFP)

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