Philippine President Duterte to run for senator in 2022 elections

Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday filed his certificate of candidacy for senator in the May 2022 elections.

Duterte, 76, sent his lawyer to the Commission on Elections to register on Monday, the last day for making candidate substitutions. He will run under political party Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), rather than his ruling party PDP-Laban.

Last month, Duterte said that he was retiring from politics and will not run in the next elections "in obedience to the will of the people."

Duterte was elected as the president of the Philippines in 2016, and his term ends on June 30, 2022. The constitution limits Philippine presidents to a single six-year term.

The next elections are scheduled to be held on May 9, 2022.

Duterte's spokesperson Harry Roque also sought a senate seat in the coming elections after resigning on Monday.

"Since I have filed my certificate of candidacy, I am no longer presidential spokesperson," Roque told reporters shortly after registering at the poll body. (ANI/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )