President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday backpedaled on his plan to pursue the vice presidency and announced his retirement from politics.
During the certificate for candidacy filing at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City, Duterte said he would no longer seek a national post as many Filipinos believed it was a violation of the Constitution.
“The overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino is that I am not qualified and it would be a violation of the Constitution to circumvent the law, the spirit of the Constitution.” Duterte said after his long-time aide, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, filed his candidacy for vice president.
“And so, in obedience to the will of the people, who after all placed me in the presidency many years ago, I now say, sa mga kababayan ko, sundin ko ang gusto niyo. And today, I announce my retirement from politics. Salamat po sa inyong lahat,” he added.
A recent Social Weather Stations survey found that six of 10 Filipinos thought a Duterte vice presidential bid in 2022 would violate the intent of the Constitution.
The survey, conducted from June 23 to 26, found 60 percent of adult Filipinos saying, “the proposal that President Rodrigo Duterte should run for vice president in the 2022 election violates the intention of the Constitution, which should first be amended before he may run for office again.”
Duterte in August said he would pursue the vice presidency to ensure the continuity of his administration’s projects, a move critics said was the president’s escape clause from suit.
Running in Duterte’s stead under PDP-Laban is Go. John Ezekiel J. Hirro