Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte backed away from political retirement on Monday to launch a late bid for a Senate seat, avoiding a clash with his own daughter for the vice presidency just hours before a 2022 election deadline.
Despite last-ditch efforts by supporters to convince her to succeed her father, Sara Duterte-Carpio is set to contest the vice presidency and her father's seat in the senate, two of the most powerful posts in a country where they have built considerable political clout in the past six years.
Duterte had said last month he would quit politics after leaving the presidency and voters were kept guessing over both his and his daughter's intentions right up until Monday's deadline for changing candidates.