Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20211004

A30 world news
Dialuna 4 OctOber 2021

Philippine leader Duterte announces retirement from politics

Sen. Bong Go, who regis- country next. ernment prosecutor and leg-
tered his vice presidential islator in a colorful political
candidacy instead under the But after her father initial- career that spanned more
ruling party at a Commission ly declared that he would than three decades. He will
on Elections center. seek the vice presidency, be remembered by many for
Sara Duterte announced she his extra-tough approach to
Philippine presidents are would not run for president, criminality that earned him
limited by the constitution saying she and her father have monikers such as “Duterte
to a single six-year term, agreed that only one Duterte Harry,” after Clint East-
and opponents had said they would run for a national of- wood’s police character who
would question the legality fice next year. had little regard for the law.
of Duterte’s announced vice
presidential run before the Shortly after Duterte an- When he exits from politics,
Supreme Court if he pursued nounced he was backing he would likely be hounded
it. out from the vice-presiden- by lawsuits arising from his
tial run, his daughter filed violent anti-criminality cam-
While two past presidents her papers for reelection in paign. He cited that concern
(AP) — Philippine Presi- constitution,” Duterte said. have run for lower elected Davao city, although specula- in July as one of the reasons
dent Rodrigo Duterte on “I will follow what you wish, positions and won after their tion remains rife that she will he accepted the ruling PDP-
Saturday announced he and today I announce my re- terms ended in recent his- eventually withdraw from Laban party’s nomination for
was retiring from politics tirement from politics.” tory, Duterte was the first to her mayoral reelection bid him to be its vice-presidential
and dropping plans to run consider running for the vice and seek the presidency. aspirant.
for vice president in elec- The 76-year-old leader, presidency. If he did pursue
tions next year, when his known for his deadly anti- the candidacy and win, that President Duterte took of- A U.S.-based human rights
term ends, paving the way drugs crackdown, brash rhet- could elevate him back to fice in 2016 and immediately group said Duterte would do
for his politician daughter oric and unorthodox politi- the presidency if the elected launched a crackdown on il- everything in his power to
to make a possible bid for cal style, earlier accepted the leader dies or is incapacitated legal drugs that has left more support a friendly successor
the top post. ruling party’s nomination for for any reason. than 6,000 mostly petty sus- and would harness his linger-
him to seek the vice presi- pects dead and alarmed West- ing influence in retirement to
Speaking before reporters, dency in the May 9 elections. Duterte’s withdrawal could ern governments and human shield himself from an array
Duterte said many Filipinos The decision outraged many pave the way for the possible rights groups. The Interna- of potential criminal charges.
have expressed their opposi- of his opponents, who have presidential run of his daugh- tional Criminal Court has
tion to his vice-presidential described him as a human ter Sara Duterte, who is cur- launched an investigation of Duterte will back a candidate
bid in surveys and public fo- rights calamity in an Asian rently the mayor of south- the killings, but he has vowed “who can give him that pro-
rums. bastion of democracy. ern Davao city. She has been never to cooperate with the tection,” said Carlos Conde
prodded by many supporters inquiry and allow ICC inves- of Human Rights Watch.
“The overwhelming senti- Duterte announced his sur- to make a bid to succeed her tigators into the country. “Eluding accountability
ment of the Filipino is that prise withdrawal from the father and has topped inde- for human rights abuses is
I’m not qualified, and it election after accompanying pendent public opinion sur- Duterte was a former long- Duterte’s primary concern as
would be a violation of the his former longtime aide, veys on who should lead the time Davao city mayor, gov- his presidency winds down.”

Bomb at Kabul mosque kills 5 civilians, Taliban say

(AP) — At least five civilians were tacks, but are now faced with trying to years.
killed in a bomb blast outside a contain rival militants using the same IS maintains a strong presence in the
Kabul mosque Sunday, a Taliban methods. The growing security chal- eastern province of Nangarhar, where Attacks in Kabul have so far been rare,
official said. It was the deadliest lenges come at a time of an economic it has claimed responsibility for sev- but in recent weeks IS has shown
attack in the Afghan capital since meltdown, as the Taliban struggle to eral killings in the provincial capital signs it is expanding its footprint be-
U.S. forces left at the end of Au- run the country without the massive of Jalalabad. yond the east and closer toward the
gust. foreign aid given to U.S.-backed gov- capital.
ernment they toppled. In late August, an IS suicide bomber
There was no immediate claim of targeted American evacuation efforts On Friday, Taliban fighters raided an
responsibility, but suspicion fell on Three suspects were arrested in Sun- at Kabul’s international airport. The IS hideout just north of Kabul in Par-
Islamic State extremists who have day’s explosion in Kabul, said Bilal blast killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. wan province. The raid came after an
stepped up attacks on the Taliban in Karimi, a Taliban spokesman. He said service members and was one of the IS roadside bomb wounded four Tal-
recent weeks, particularly in an IS Taliban fighters were not harmed. deadliest attacks in the country in iban fighters in the area.
stronghold in eastern Afghanistan.
An apparent roadside bomb went off Mohammad Israil, a Kabul resident,
at the gate of the sprawling Eid Gah said he heard “a loud sound” and saw
Mosque in Kabul at a time when a people running away.
memorial service was being held for
the mother of chief Taliban spokes- An Italian-funded emergency hospi-
man Zabihullah Mujahid. Five tal in Kabul tweeted it had received
people were killed, said Qari Saeed four people wounded in the blast.
Khosti, the spokesman of the Interior
Ministry. The area around the mosque was
cordoned off by the Taliban, who
The explosion underscored the maintained a heavy security presence.
growing challenges the Taliban face Later in the afternoon the site was
just weeks after they took control of cleaned. The only signs of the blast
Afghanistan in a blitz campaign, cul- was slight damage to the ornamental
minating in their takeover of Kabul arch by the entrance gate.
on Aug. 15.
IS militants have stepped up attacks
During their 20-year insurgency, the against the Taliban since their mid-
Taliban themselves had frequently August takeover, signaling a widening
carried out bombing and shooting at- conflict between them.