A month before he returns to being “Citizen Digong,” President Rodrigo Duterte has already started packing up his things in Malacanang, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said.
And while the Palace earlier said there was no legal impediment for Duterte to join the next administration as anti-illegal drugs czar, the outgoing commander in chief seems bent on enjoying his retirement from politics.
“He is almost done [packing up]. Two or three months ago, he has already sent his personal things to Davao,” Medialdea said.
Duterte, whose six-year term will end on June 30, might teach in his hometown after he leaves the Palace, Medialdea said.
“He said he was going to teach in Davao,” he added.
Duterte, a lawyer by profession, graduated from San Beda College.
Medialdea said this week’s Cabinet meeting will likely be the last as the Presidential Transition Team prepares for a smooth turnover for the administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Last week, acting deputy presidential spokesperson Kristian Ablan said while the decision to join the Marcos Cabinet is up to Duterte, many believe the outgoing President is looking forward to his retirement.
“When it comes to that, there is no legal impediment for a former president to assume an executive position in the executive branch. Now whether President Duterte will accept that is up to him,” he said.
“As far as we know, the President is looking forward to his retirement,” he added.
Marcos Jr. said he is “open” to making Duterte the anti-drug czar under his administration.
The President-elect said he and Duterte have met more than once, with at least one of those meetings happening before the May 9 elections.
“One thing that he was very assertive about was ‘continue the anti-drug syndicate that I started. Do it your own way.’ He really said that,” Marcos Jr. said.
Duterte won the 2016 presidential race due to his hardline stance against illegal drugs and criminality.
During his term, Duterte came under fire from human rights groups over allegations of summary executions in the drug war.