So Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is quitting politics after his six year term ends. His legacy will be one of incompetence (not just how he mishandled COVID-19), violence, mass murder, corruption, intimidation and kowtowing to the PRC.  About the only crime that he didn’t commit while president that I thought he’d try was to attempt a military coup.  He probably didn’t have the support, not after how he treated some of the military as “political enemies”.

But just because the Monster of Manila is leaving doesn’t mean the Philippines will be any better off.  The three “leading candidates” to replace him are a long time crony in the Philippine senate, his daughter who is reportedly just as violent, and Manny “Punch Drunk” Pacquiao, a rabid transphobe and homophobe.

Rodrigo Duterte: Philippine president announces retirement from politics

The 76-year-old leader said last month that he would run for the vice-presidency in 2022. The country’s constitution only permits presidents to serve a single six-year term.

But he now says he will withdraw, as “the overwhelming sentiment of the Filipinos is that I am not qualified”.

The move comes amid speculation that his daughter could run for president.

Mr Duterte, a controversial “strongman” figure, came to power in 2016 promising to reduce crime and fix the country’s drug crisis.

But critics say that during his five years in power, Mr Duterte has encouraged police to carry out thousands of extrajudicial killings of suspects in what he has called his “war on drugs”.

Here’s another report from ABC.

I guess I won’t be taking another vacation in the Philippines after COVID-19 is under control.