Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he may turn down an invitation by Donald Trump to visit the United States, as he welcomed three Chinese warships to his home town. Duterte, who has loosened the Philippines’ long alliance with the United States while strengthening ties with China and Russia, said he could not commit to … Read more
US President Donald Trump on Saturday invited his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte to Washington in a “friendly” call in which the leaders discussed the “threat” of North Korea, the White House said. The announcement comes amid rising tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs following its latest test-fire, as well international criticism of Duterte’s drug … Read more
US President Donald Trump invited his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte to Washington in a “friendly” call in which the leaders discussed the “threat” of North Korea, the White House said. The announcement comes amid rising tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs following its latest test-fire, as well international criticism of Duterte’s drug crackdown that … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned Southeast Asian leaders Saturday they were facing a “massive” illegal drug menace that could destroy their societies, as he called for a united response. Duterte, who has faced international condemnation for his own crackdown on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives, also insisted that outsiders should not interfere in … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hosts Southeast Asian leaders this week, and there is much interest in how the popular politician who boasts about not being a statesman will handle the event. Many Filipinos love Duterte, 72, for his man-of-the people habits, such as eating food with his hands, wearing casual clothes even in formal situations … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday called the New York Times an “asshole” and rejected fresh criticism of his deadly drug war, on the eve of him hosting an Asian summit. Duterte let loose with the crude insult two days after the major US newspaper wrote an editorial headlined: “Let the World Condemn Duterte”, and … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday there was no point protesting Chinese artificial island building in disputed areas of the South China Sea because it could not be stopped. Duterte made the comments on the eve of him hosting a two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and he confirmed he would not use … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte toured a visiting Russian warship on Friday for the second time in barely four months as he highlighted his growing closeness to Moscow. “The Russians are with me, I shall not be afraid,” Duterte was quoted as saying during a visit to the Russian guided missile cruiser ‘Varyag’ which is on … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has some career advice for the almost 40 million Filipinos currently unemployed—go out and kill drug addicts. The Phil Star newspaper reported that Duterte was overheard at Ninoy Aquino International Airport while speaking to workers that had returned from Saudi Arabia, where around 2.4 million Filipinos live and work. Thousands of workers … Read more
Qatar and the Philippines have signed trade agreements worth $200 million during the final leg of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Gulf tour, Manila’s trade and industry secretary told reporters in Doha Sunday. Ramon Lopez said 6,000 jobs would be created in the Philippines as a result of the 13 agreements signed between private companies at the … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday pulled back from a vow to place his country’s flag on an island in the Spratlys chain claimed by China and other regional states. “Because of our friendship with China and because we value your friendship I will not go there to raise the Philippine flag,” he told about … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrived Monday night in Saudi Arabia, where economic troubles forced the repatriation of thousands of his citizens still waiting for their salaries. Filipino organisations in the Gulf kingdom, which still hosts almost 800,000 workers from the Southeast Asian nation, said the unpaid wages will be on the agenda when they meet … Read more
The Philippines’ military said Friday that it plans to upgrade and improve facilities on islands it already occupies in the disputed South China Sea, not embark on a new land grab. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that he had ordered the armed forces to “occupy all” remote reefs claimed by Manila, in a move … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday described two major media outlets as “sons of whores” and warned them of karmic repercussions for their critical coverage of his deadly drug war. Duterte’s verbal attacks on top television broadcaster ABS-CBN and the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper came in a pair of speeches in which he also lashed … Read more
China and the Philippines will hold direct talks on their maritime dispute in May, Filipino officials said Wednesday, as President Rodrigo Duterte seeks stronger economic ties with Beijing. Last year a United Nations-backed international tribunal rejected Beijing’s claims to most of the South China Sea, including disputed areas close to the coasts of its neighbours. … Read more
The Philippines tourism secretary urged the media Wednesday to “tone down” coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war, complaining that reports on extrajudicial killings were scaring away foreigners. On a trip to Thailand accompanying Duterte, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo insisted the Philippines was a safe destination but said journalists were making the country a … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has described European lawmakers as “crazies” in a salty-tongued rebuttal to criticism of his deadly drug war, while vowing again that all traffickers will be killed. Duterte fired his broadside in a late-night speech Sunday in Myanmar after the European Parliament issued a resolution last week condemning “the high number of … Read more
An opposition lawmaker filed an impeachment complaint in the Philippine Congress on Thursday against President Rodrigo Duterte, calling for his removal for what he said were high crimes, betrayal of public trust and abuses of power. Lower house representative Gary Alejano accused Duterte of a laundry list of offences he said were worthy of impeachment, … Read more
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo said Wednesday the nation’s drug war had left Filipinos feeling “hopeless and helpless”, with trust in the police eroded by thousands of summary executions. In a video message to a United Nations meeting on extrajudicial killings posted online, Robredo also called for international scrutiny on President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial crackdown. … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologised on Tuesday for failing to save an elderly German hostage who was beheaded by Islamic militants, but insisted ransoms should not be paid. The Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap-for-ransom network in the southern Philippines that has declared allegiance to the Islamic State group, killed Jurgen Kantner, 70, on Sunday after its … Read more