Rodrigo Duterter Will Be The Philippines' Next Vice Presidential Candidate, Powerful Maneuver?

President Rodrigo Duterte will reportedly be named as the vice presidential candidate in the upcoming election, at the ruling party's national convention in the Philippines which opens Wednesday, September 8, 2021.

It was seen as a Duterte maneuver widely seen as an attempt to keep the popular leader near the center of power, while avoiding term limits under the constitution.

Rodrigo Duterte, who is now 76 years old, is famous for his vulgar rhetoric. Late last month he said he would accept PDP-Laban's nomination to run for vice president next year, so he could continue his crusade.

The crusade in question is his crackdown on drugs that is thought to have killed thousands of suspected traffickers.

About 400 members of the party gathered in San Fernando City, north of the capital, Manila, for the convention, while others attended online to comply with COVID-19 health protocols.

PDP-Laban was the first party to hold a convention to select candidates for the May 9 national elections.

Under Philippine law, as quoted by VOA Indonesia, Kanus (9/9/2021), the vice president is elected separately from the president, and Duterte's party is also expected to announce its presidential candidate on Wednesday night.

Duterte's Popularity Still Strong

Duterte's popularity remains strong despite the Philippines struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, with rising infections and death rates and a slow vaccination programme. Polls show there is strong support for Duterte to run if he is paired with his daughter, Sara Duterte, as the presidential candidate.

However, Rodrigo Duterte has hinted that he may withdraw from his candidacy for vice president if his daughter announces her candidacy for the top job.

43-year-old Sara Duterte is currently the mayor of Davao City and a member of the HNP party, which she founded in 2018. She has supported her father's party at the national level.

Another Strong Candidate for Duterte's Successor

Another possible presidential candidate is Duterte's longtime ally and former aide, Senator Christopher “Bong'' Go, although he told the party in late August that he had decided not to run for president. Analysts say the move is likely to pave the way for Sara Duterte's candidacy.

Ahead of the convention, PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag said he hoped to convince Go to accept his nomination and pass Go-Duterte's nomination.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the president of the Philippines is only allowed to serve one term, which is six years. Two former presidents, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, managed to run for lower public office after serving as president, but not for vice president.

If Duterte game togel online goes ahead with his candidacy, it is likely he will face a court lawsuit from the opposition, even though the Supreme Court has strongly supported the president's past moves.

Critics of Duterte say his candidacy for vice president is also an attempt to protect him from potentially facing a lawsuit by the International Criminal Court, which says it finds reasons to believe crimes against humanity have been committed in Duterte's anti-drug crackdown.