Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he would be stepping down from office by 2020 because he has “no more ambition.”
Duterte’s announcement was made in an attempt to dispel fears that he would cling to power in an attempt to become a dictator, Reuters reported.
The Filipino president said during his announcement that he wanted to achieve his goal of introducing federalism before finishing his term early.
The former Manila mayor has advocated for federalism in order to fix the wage gap and recognize the country’s diversity. Duterte created a 19-member panel last month made up of constitutional law experts and led by a retired Supreme Court judge. The judge has proposed a federal model similar to the U.S.
“I will step down by 2020, I will not wait for 2022,” the 72-year-old leader said. “I am old. I have no more ambition. I really would like to rest.”
His speech silenced those who believed he was embarking on an effort to change the constitution to attempt to expand his single, six-year term as president.
The constitution was introduced in 1987 after the ousting of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and previous efforts to change it have failed.
