Philippine leader runs for senate, after vow to retire

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has filed his candidacy for a senate seat in next year’s elections, walking back on his vow that he would retire from politics when his term ends

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday filed his candidacy for a senate seat in next year’s elections, walking back on his vow that he would retire from politics when his term ends and prompting rights groups to say the leader is working to evade accountability for his deadly anti-drug campaign while in office.

A lawyer of the 76-year-old Duterte filed his senatorial candidacy at the Commission on Elections before the deadline for last-minute contenders in May's nationwide elections.

Duterte announced early last month that he was retiring from politics after dropping plans to run for vice president due to what he said was widespread public sentiment against the move. His initial plan to seek the vice presidency outraged activists, who have described him as a human rights calamity in an Asian bastion of democracy.

“Duterte’s run for the Senate is yet another attempt of the tyrant to evade accountability from the International Criminal Court and other accountability mechanisms,” said Cristina Palabay of Karapatan, a left-wing alliance of human rights groups. “It is as sinister, opportunist and underhanded as the attempts of his daughter and allies to run in the 2022 elections.”