Philippine President Duterte announces retirement from politics

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he is backing out of an announced plan to run for vice president in next year's elections and will retire from politics after his term ends.Duterte announced the surprise decision Saturday after accompanying his former longtime aide, Senator Bong Go, who instead filed his own candidacy for the vice presidency at a Commission on Elections centre.Philippine presidents are limited by the constitution to a single six-year term and opponents had said they would question the legality of Duterte's announced vice presidential run before the Supreme Court.
Duterte took office in 2016 and launched a crackdown on illegal drugs that left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead and alarmed Western governments and human rights groups. The International Criminal Court is investigating the killings. Speaking before reporters, Duterte said many Filipinos have expressed their opposition to his vice-presidential bid in surveys and public forums. “The overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino is that I’m not qualified, and it would be a violation of the constitution,” Duterte said. “In obedience to the will of the people…I will follow what you wish and today I announce my retirement from politics.”

The 76-year-old leader, known for his deadly anti-drugs crackdown, brash rhetoric and unorthodox political style, earlier accepted the ruling party’s nomination for him to seek the vice presidency in the May 9 elections. The decision outraged many of his opponents, who have described him as a human rights calamity in an Asian bastion of democracy. Duterte’s withdrawal could also pave the way for the possible presidential run of his politician daughter.