Gloria Arroyo: 'I am retiring, no plans for prime minister'

MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is all set to leave politics after her term ends in 2019.

"I am retiring. I don't plan to run for anything in 2019," Arroyo said in an interview with CNN Philippines aired on Wednesday evening.

The former president even doused speculations she is aiming to become prime minister under a federal system of government, which President Rodrigo Duterte has prioritized as part of his agenda.

"I have no plans to be prime minister because it's not even in the draft of the committee (that drafted the federal charter)," she said.

Arroyo, who represents Pampanga, shot back to fame last month after she unseated Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez to become the Lower House's first female House Speaker.

She rose to presidency after former president now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada was ousted from power through a people's revolt in 2001.

But suspicions on her real political plans is no longer new. In 2003, Arroyo said she would not join the presidential race, only to run and win another fresh six-year term in 2004.

While the draft federal constitution indeed does not prescribe for the election of a prime minister, the charter proposal will go through Congress for amendments, where provisions may be inserted or dropped.

"I've said before, many times, I don't expect the fruition of the charter change during my term as Speaker. But to the fullest extent possible, (I will work on it) within the limitations of my term, in the hopes that who will take it up afterwards, would continue," she explained.

Discussions on the draft charter has not moved forward after some senators themselves expressed reservations because Arroyo's name has been raised together with the prime minister position.

"I think people who keep raising that are people who want to stir up controversy," Arroyo said.

Arroyo's nine-year term has been marked by corruption controversies that saw her indicted for plunder under the government of her successor, Benigno Aquino III. Courts eventually cleared her of charges.