Philippine President retires from Politics

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that he will not run for vice president in next year’s elections and will retire from politics after the end of his term.

Duterte announced his decision today after accompanying his former longtime aide, Bong Go, filed his own candidacy for the vice presidency at a Commission on Elections center.

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.

The announcement moves fueled speculation that he was clearing the way for his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, to succeed him.