Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Saturday that he would not run for vice-president in 2022 and would retire from politics, paving the way for his daughter to succeed him as head of the country.
“The dominant feeling … among Filipinos is that I am not qualified and that would be breaking the constitution” than running for vice-president, Duterte said. “Today, I am announcing my withdrawal from politics”, he added.
Mr Duterte, whose polls show he remains almost as popular as when he won the presidential election in 2016 by promising to end the drug problem, among other things, is not constitutionally authorized to run for a second term . Despite everything, he announced at the end of August his candidacy for the vice-presidency of the country, thus intending to continue his “Crusade” against drugs and rebels. An announcement immediately denounced by the opposition who saw a “Smoke screen” and a parade against possible legal proceedings.
On Saturday, Mr Duterte made the unexpected statement in the spot where he was to register his candidacy for the vice-presidency. He did not specify when he intended to quit political life.
Sara Duterte-Carpio well placed to succeed her father
The president has not indicated who he wants to succeed him as president, but many speculate on the candidacy of Sara, the daughter of Mr Duterte, who belongs to another party. She is currently the best placed in the polls.
If Sara Duterte-Carpio were elected to the highest office, she could help protect Mr. Duterte from criminal prosecution in his country, but also from those brought against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The latter gave, in September, the green light to investigate the campaign against drug trafficking led by the government and marked by thousands of murders committed by the police.
Sara Duterte-Carpio, who holds the post of mayor of Davao city in the south of the country, a post held by her father before he became president, had said she would not want to run if her father ran for vice -presidence.