CURRENT President Rodrigo Duterte has been vocal of his openness to run again for a seat in the national government in the upcoming 2022 elections. Last Sept. 23, he officially accepted his nomination to participate in the vice presidential race. A faction of the PDP-Laban led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi made the nomination. Correspondingly, the political party released a photo of the signed Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance. 

If ever the Filipino people still choose to elect Duterte, will this be a continued blatant display of incompetence or a game of temple run in the Palace that his team orchestrated to continuously run away from the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) charges against him?

In an Aug. 26 press briefing by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, he said that Duterte is eyeing to run for vice president to fulfill the promises he made during his presidency. Roque proudly told the press: “Kaya po tatakbo ang Presidente bilang Bise-Presidente dahil mayroon siyang unfinished business: korapsyon, droga.” Duterte also expressed his intention on national television, saying that he will continue the crusade he has started, specifically, his controversial drug war and fight against Communist insurgency.

Many critics believe that this is Duterte’s attempt to save himself from possible prosecution by the ICC after it has reported that there was sufficient evidence to show that crimes against humanity had been committed on his watch through his bloody drug war (Oplan Tokhang). In an interview with New York Times, political and defense analyst Chester Cabalza said that even if Duterte uses the vice presidency to run away from prosecution, “international laws are tested to have teeth against world leaders who have committed crimes against humanity.”

The pandemic situation in the Philippines – along with extrajudicial killings, use of profane language and sexually-suggestive remarks, weak economy, and failure to protect the Philippine territory from the Chinese government – further revealed the incompetence of the current administration. Whether Duterte uses the vice presidency to extend his stay in the government as a second fiddle or to escape the ICC charges against him, it will still not do any good for the country. 

Now, all that we can do to save our motherland is to carefully exercise our right to vote as citizens of this nation in the upcoming elections. It is now more than ever that the Filipinos need to be mindful during this crucial time of choosing the future leaders of the country for the next six years. Let us not commit the same mistake all over again. In May 2022, we should unite and let our ballots scream: “Never Again”.