[오뉴스=Mai Dang 해외통신원]=필리핀 두테르테 대통령은 2일, 임기가 끝난 후 정치에서 물러나고 부통령 출마도 철회 하겠다고 밝혔다. 그는 "임기가 끝나면, 국민들의 뜻을 존중해 정계 은퇴를 하겠다"라고 발표 했다. 임기 6년의 두테르테 대통령은 오는 2022년 임기가 끝난다.

두테르테 대통령은 부통령 출마를 포기한 이유를 묻는 질문에 "필리핀 국민의 압도적인 생각은 내가 부통령 출마 자격이 없으며 (출마시) 헌법위반이 될 것"이라고 답했다. 최근 여론조사에 따르면 필리핀인의 대다수는 두테르테의 부통령 출마를 거부하고 있다. 이에 두테르테 대통령은 여론조사 의견을 받아들여 내년 선거에 부통령 출마 계획을 중단했다. 

두테르테 대통령은 35년 이상 정치에 종사해 왔다. 그는 다바오시 시장 후보에서 대통령 후보로 임명되면서 대통령에 당선 됐으며, 35년 정치 경력 동안 시장으로서 7번, 부시장, 하원의원 등 많은 정치경험을 쌓았다. 

한편 두테르테 대통령의 43세의 딸 사라 두테르테-카르피오(Sara 두테르테-카르피오)의 대통령 후보 출마에 관심이 집중되고 있다. 그녀는 아버지가 부통령 출마를 고집하면 대선에 출마하지 않겠다고 거듭 말했다. 두테르테 대통령의 부통령 출마포기 선언으로 그녀의 대통령 후보 출마 길이 열렸다. 

한편 비평가들은 두테르테의 대통령 임기만료 후 은퇴선언을 의심하고있다.  실제 두테르테 대통령은 지난 2015년 정치 은퇴를 선언했지만, 2016년 대선에 출마해 당선되기도 했다. 다바오 출신 하원의원 Carlos Zarate는 "두테르테 대통령의 은퇴선언은 유권자를 흔드는 모호한 계획의 일부"라고 강조했다. 

On Oct 2nd, President Rodrigo Duterte said that he will retire from politics after his term ends next year, withdrawing his run for vice-president in favor of his long-time aide, Senator Christopher Go. “I now say to my countrymen, I will abide by your will, and today I announce my retirement,” he said at a brief press conference shortly after Mr. Go filed his candidacy certificate. 

Being asked for the reason of dropping out his bid for vice-presidency, President Duterte stated: “The overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino people is that I am not qualified and it would be a violation of the Constitution.” A majority of Filipinos disapprove of Mr. Duterte’s now aborted plan to run in next year’s elections, according to a recent poll. 

Considered Philippine has been proudly to be called the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86% of the population is Roman Catholic, 6% belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2% belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations. According to the Christian catechism, it is against the church law to abort the lives in a woman’s womb regardless of her pregnancy stages. Therefore, abortion is never accepted and allowed among Christian Church. 

Mr. Duterte has been in politics for over 35 years, 1/3 of the century, when then President Corazon Aquino appointed him acting mayor of Davao city. His experiences as a politician including seven terms as mayor, one term as vice-mayor and a few years as congressman. Through most of the time, Mr. Go was always by his side as a reliable assistant. He was not only help Mr. Duterte to manage documents to be signed but also care enough to remind Mr. President the medications he needed to take. 

Moreover, Mr. Duterte himself also accompanied Mr. Go on his historical moments when he was accepted as the presidential candidate. “Given that President Duterte decided to withdraw his acceptance of nomination, I am here to take on the challenge of being (my party’s) vice-presidential candidate,” said Mr. Go. He added that he agreed to run “to continue the good programmers and real change Mr. Duterte stated” and will strive to add to them. The partner Mr. Go would be running with is still to be determined. 

Furthermore, since Mr. Duterte dropped out from the (vice-) presidential race, his 43-year-old daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, could formally announce her own run to replace her father as president. She has repeatedly said she would not run for president if her father insisted on running for vice-president. Her father now has cleared the way to her. 

Ms. Duterte-Carpio said last month that Mr. Go had offered to be her running mate but on Saturday Sept 25th, she filed election papers anticipated being reelected as Davao mayor. This is implied her refusal to Mr. Go’s proposal. However, that may still change, as the polling commission allows political parties to substitute their candidates until Nov 15th. 

Critics doubt Mr. Duterte’s announcement on Saturday would be the final word on his supposed retirement. Representative Carlos Zarate, who is also from Davao and has experienced Mr. Duterte’s political acts for years shared that “people should no longer take this latest retirement seriously”. Mr. Duterte also claimed to end his political career in 2015 but still proceeded to run and win the president position in 2016. “It is clearly part of the Duterte clique’s dubious scheme to hoodwink the electorate once again,” he emphasized. 
 

Mai Dang 해외통신원 maidang.ee@gmail.com

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