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Manila, Philippines-Tough Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has confirmed rumors that he will run for Vice President next year. Critics say it is an end-of-life attempt over constitutional term restrictions.
Duterte, notorious for his vulgar rhetoric and crackdown on illegal drugs, most of which killed thousands of trivial suspects, said in a comment broadcast Wednesday that he would run for the Vice President to “continue the Crusades.”
“I run for Vice President,” he said. “I’m worried about drugs, rebellion. Well, first is rebellion, then crime, then drugs.”
The Philippines is suffering from a COVID-19 pandemic, with rising infectious diseases and mortality and delayed vaccine deployment, but Duterte’s popularity remains high.
According to Manila-based political analyst Richard Haydarian, running Duterte with his daughter Sara Duterte (now Mayor of Davao) will be a strong pair as presidential candidate. ..
Duterte’s adviser reportedly suggested that if the daughter decides to announce the president’s bid, she may not run for vice president, but the idea that the two will run together has been discussed since 2019. He said it has been.
“The Sara Duterte campaign seems to have started more or less. It seems to have little to do with Duterte’s position,” said Haydarian. “The Duterte / Duterte tandem is becoming like a formidable team to win next year’s elections.”
But Sara Duterte, who made the water even more muddy, posted on Facebook late Wednesday, saying her father said former Senator Christopher Bong Go would run for vice president by running for president.
She didn’t mention her desires, but her father and Go said they should publicly announce that they would run together if they made that decision.
“I will stop talking to them and give them respectful advice to tell me why they are running or not,” she wrote.
The President of the Philippines is limited to a six-year term by the 1987 Constitution. At least two former presidents, Joseph Ejercito and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, have succeeded in lower public office after serving as president, but not as vice president.
If Duterte proceeds with his practice, it is likely to face court challenges from opponents, but Hydarian said the Supreme Court strongly supported the president’s move in the past.
A new opposition coalition, 1 Sambayan, said the name meant One Nation and Duterte’s decision was “not surprising” and made the coalition “more determined to unify the Democratic Army in responding to the challenge.” “.
“It shows a clear ridicule of our constitution and democratic process,” the group said. “The candidacy is legally and morally wrong, and I believe the Filipinos will realize his brave, selfish and self-serving motivation.”
Duterte, 76, had previously hinted that he might run for vice president. Confirmation on Wednesday came after a senior PDP-Laban party official said Tuesday that the president had agreed to run as a candidate.
Duterte “agrees to make a sacrifice and listens to the hustle and bustle of the people” to run for the national elections on May 9, said Carlo Nograles, Vice President of PDP-Laban.
The Vice President is elected separately from the President under Philippine law. If the president dies or is incapacitated for some reason, the person in the position could potentially be relegated to the top role.
If elected Vice President, the move constitutionally prohibits Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Duterte once called his “favorite hero,” for his third consecutive term as president in 2008. It will be reminiscent of the tactic of seizing power despite being struck.
Instead, Dmitry Medvedev was elected president, and Putin assumed a nominally subordinate position to the prime minister from 2008 to 2012. Putin then became the re-elected president in 2012, and Medvedev slipped into the role of prime minister.
“This does not mean that if Sara Duterte becomes president, she will essentially be the president’s agent,” said Haydarian. “In Davao, two people were in charge together. [and] There was a big difference between the approach and the policy … So even if the tandem becomes president, it can be repeated somewhat. “
After news reports that Duterte would run, opposition Senator Lisa Hontiveros warned that electing Duterte as vice president meant continuing his authoritarian policy.
“A lot of things are at stake next year,” she told the ABS-CBN news channel.
“The president has started the presidential election in many dramas. He seems to leave us in the same way trying to confuse us. We Filipinos are still looking for true leaders.”
In June, a retired prosecutor at the International Criminal Court found a reason to believe that he was guilty of crimes against humanity during Duterte’s drug crackdown, partly because of the “shadow” and the possible sanctions against him. He said it was likely. Heidarian said to Duterte’s calculations.
Still, he said, if the past was a guide, Duterte’s true intentions might not be known for some time.
“Remember that President Duterte is known or notorious for his strategy of hedging up to 11 hours or even after 11 hours,” said Heydarian.
Kiko Rosary and David Rising
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