Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s government plans to abolish the agency tasked with recovering the billions of dollars plundered by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his allies, a cabinet member said Wednesday. The announcement was the latest development in the remarkable political rehabilitation of the Marcos clan, which has accelerated since family ally Duterte became president … Read more
Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright warned Wednesday that “rule-of-law” issues could harm investments in the Philippines after her nation and rights groups criticised President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs. The United States — along with the United Nations, the European Union and international watchdogs — has expressed concern about alleged extrajudicial killings … Read more
Top newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer said Monday its owners are in talks to sell the publication, months after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened a shame campaign against them over critical coverage of his drug war. Marixi Prieto, chairwoman of the Inquirer Group of Companies, said the family had decided to quit the newspaper business and … Read more
Rodrigo Duterte ends his first year as Philippine president on Friday as a hugely popular leader, after taking Filipinos on a promised “rough ride” of drug war killings and foreign policy U-turns. Duterte has been heavily criticised for his unprecedented crackdown on drugs, which has claimed thousands of lives, and he marks 12 months in … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte marks his first year in power on Friday. Here are key numbers that help explain key events and issues surrounding his presidency: The number of people police have reported killing as part of Duterte’s controversial campaign to eradicate illegal drugs from society. Duterte has made his so-called “drug war” the top … Read more
China on Wednesday donated thousands of guns to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to help Manila in its battle against Islamist gunmen who are holed up in a southern city. The small shipment of assault and sniper rifles and ammunition is the first example of Chinese military aid since Duterte threatened to move away from Manila’s … Read more
A Philippine lawmaker on Tuesday appealed to the International Criminal Court to urgently probe thousands of killings in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, warning a new martial law in the south could spread. “There is an urgency to conduct a preliminary examination on the allegations,” said senator Antonio Trillane, adding he wanted to “prevent … Read more
Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte angrily hit back Wednesday at Chelsea Clinton for criticising remarks he made about rape, using vulgar language while referring to her father’s infidelities as American president. Duterte on Friday told soldiers they could rape up to three women, in a speech aimed at reassuring them of his full support as they … Read more
Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao gave staunch support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration on Monday, saying the country should be “grateful” for its strong leader. Duterte last week declared martial law in the southern Mindanao region to combat what he called a rising threat posed by the Islamic State group, after militants rampaged … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will ignore Supreme Court and congress as he enforces martial law across the southern third of the country, despite the constitution giving them oversight. Duterte on Tuesday imposed martial law in the Mindanao region, home to 20 million people, following deadly clashes in a mostly Muslim-populated city involving … Read more
The president of the Philippines has come under fire for joking about rape in a speech to soldiers. While speaking at a military camp after imposing martial law across the south of the country, he said they were allowed to rape up to three women. This was the second rape joke Rodrigo Duterte has been … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte came under fire Saturday for making a second joke about rape, with Chelsea Clinton leading online outrage and a rights group branding his sense of humour “sickening”. In a speech at a military camp on Friday aimed at lifting troops’ spirits after he imposed martial law across the southern Philippines, Duterte … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte joked Friday that soldiers could rape up to three women, as he reassured them of his full support under his newly imposed regional martial law. Duterte, who often peppers his language with man-on-the-street curses, made the comments in jest during a speech at a military base to lift the spirits of … Read more
The Philippine military said Friday it would censor the press and social media to protect “national security” across the southern third of the country that is under martial law, and warned violators would be arrested. President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the southern region of Mindanao on Tuesday to combat what he says is … Read more
Ex-Philippine leader and democracy hero Fidel Ramos on Friday slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s threats to impose martial law, warning against inevitable abuses under military rule. Duterte declared martial law for the southern region of Mindanao on Tuesday to combat what he said was the rising threat posed by the Islamic State group, after militants rampaged … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said martial law on Mindanao island could last a year, while the army fights against Islamist militants. The violence on the southern island has left three members of the security forces dead, officials say. Mr Duterte earlier declared martial law for 60 days on Mindanao, where Muslim rebel groups are … Read more
China on Monday sidestepped claims by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that it had threatened to go to war over the disputed South China Sea. Duterte, who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing last week, said Friday the leaders had raised conflict as an option to resolving their competing claims … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte flies to Russia on Monday to meet his hero, seek arms and steer his nation’s foreign policy course further away from longtime ally the United States. The five-day trip will cement a dramatic improvement in ties between the two nations since Duterte came to power last year and began unravelling the … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday China’s leaders told him they were prepared to go to war over competing claims in the South China Sea. Duterte, who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing this week, said he was making the threat public in response to domestic criticism he was … Read more
The Philippines said Thursday it would refuse European Union grants that “interfered” with its internal affairs, following the bloc’s repeated criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war. The European Union has been one of the most vocal international critics of the drug war, which has seen thousands of people killed since Duterte came to … Read more