A “tired” President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday he will step down as the country’s leader once his term ends in 2022.
In his speech during the National Federation of the Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines in Iloilo City, Duterte said he had no plans to extend his term.
“I will not be President for long. This is my third year. It’s just in the wings and my end will come,” Duterte said.
“I don’t know if I will be able to survive the three years remaining but God willing, I assure everybody here that I will step down at the end of my term.”
Duterte made his statement after admitting the entry of illegal drugs in the country remained out of his control as the illegal drug trade persisted as a worldwide problem.
Also, after three years of leading the country amid the corruption cases in the government seemed to have exhausted the President. He even said he had already said he would step down twice.
“I will not stay forever, I will not be part of the political scenery in the coming years. As a matter of fact, I’m tired, really tired, Duterte said.
“There was a time when I offered to step down before the military and the police in a conference and the second time. I was so exasperated by the corruption.”
Duterte also said he would fire more government officials because of corruption.
“Every table in government, it’s greed and there’s always a monkey wrench. When I return maybe tomorrow, I’ll be firing a lot of people simply for corruption,” he said
Though he did not specify what government agency is involved, the President hinted that among those he would sack was someone who had the “ability to convert.”
“The authority to convert is given to a single person and then you make people a return for two years, for me that is corruption. Nothing else. The meaning of that is you want money, so he has to go back and forth,” Duterte said.
“That’s a warning. Even those in lower parts, those directors, everyone, [including] national agencies. You only have 15 days to process. Any businessman, any Filipino or foreigner doing business here or even a tourist, if it involves corruption, let me know.”
The Palace has previously said the President would fire an official last week. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte mentioned the possible termination of other government officials during their 36th Cabinet meeting.
Panelo, however, did not give additional details.