Philippine leader runs for Senate after vow to retire

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has filed his candidacy for a Senate seat in next year’s elections, walking back his vow to retire from politics when his term ends. The announcement prompted rights groups to say he is working to evade accountability for his deadly anti-drug campaign while in office. The drug crackdown has left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead and alarmed Western governments and human rights groups. The International Criminal Court has begun an investigation of the killings, but Duterte has vowed never to cooperate with the inquiry. Duterte, who is barred from seeking a second term, had planned to run for vice president but changed his mind after his daughter filed her own vice presidential bid on Saturday.