Category: Rodrigo Duterte

Xi Urges Ex-President Duterte to Maintain His ‘Important’ Role in Philippine-China Ties

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to continue promoting relations between their countries amid the Philippines’ growing ties with the United States. Mr. Duterte, whose six-year presidential term ended in June 2022, made a surprise visit to Beijing on July 17 for talks with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader….


ICC Judges Approve Request to Reopen Probe Into Philippines’ Drug War Killings

The International Criminal Court (ICC) said Thursday that it had granted its prosecutor’s request to reopen a probe into the alleged killings and rights abuses committed in the Philippines’ drug war campaign. The ICC judges concluded that the Philippine government failed to provide any evidence to support its claims that it was conducting concrete investigations…


Philippine Court Acquits Nobel Laureate of Tax Charges Filed by Former Government

A Philippine court on Wednesday cleared a Nobel Prize-winning journalist and her news site of tax-evasion charges filed by the former Duterte government in 2018, a verdict that rights group hailed as “a victory” for the Philippine media. The court acquitted Maria Ressa and Rappler Holdings Corp. (RHC) as prosecutors failed to prove “beyond reasonable…


Rights Group Opposes Philippines’ Request to Halt ICC Probe on Duterte’s Drug War Killings

There is no evidence showing that the Philippines government is investigating the killings committed in the drug war campaign led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday. Carlos Conde, an HRW researcher in the Philippines, said the group has been monitoring the situation since November and found “no compelling…


Philippines New President Rejects Rejoining ICC Amid Calls to Resume Probe on Drug War Killings

The Philippines’ newly-elected president has ruled out the prospect of rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid the court’s request to resume its probe into the previous administration’s drug war. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office on June 30, said the decision was made after consulting with his legal team on the ICC’s investigation…


Philippines Cancels Loans After China ‘Backed Out’ of Railway Deals

Three major railway projects in the Philippines have been stalled after China “backed out” of agreements it struck with former President Rodrigo Duterte, a Philppine government official said on Friday. Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez said that China did not respond to Manila’s loan applications for the three railway projects submitted last year, so they are…


Philippines’ Marcos Jr., Duterte’s Daughter Vow to Revive Nuclear Energy If They Win Election

Philippine presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte, daughter of sitting President Rodrigo Duterte, vowed to incorporate nuclear power plants into the country’s energy mix if they win the May 9 election. Marcos Jr., a former senator and the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., emerged…


Philippines’ Duterte Vetoes Bill That Would Criminalize Anonymous Social Media Accounts

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed a proposed law on April 15 that seeks to mandate the registration of SIM cards and social media accounts with the users’ legal identities, citing the need for a “more thorough” review of the measure. The bill, ratified by the Congress of the Philippines in February, would require anyone creating…


Emergency Appeal Launched to Help 400,000 Typhoon Rai Victims in Philippines

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Dec. 19 launched an emergency appeal to raise 20 million Swiss Francs ($21.6 million) to help 400,000 people whose homes have been destroyed by Typhoon Rai that struck the Philippines last week. At its strongest, the typhoon packed sustained winds of 121 mph…


Duterte-Backed Candidate Makes Sudden Exit From Philippines Presidential Race

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s preferred successor, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, has announced his withdrawal from the May 2022 presidential race, saying that it was “not yet my time.” Go, a close aide of Duterte, cited his family’s resistance to his presidential run and admitted he was unprepared to seek the country’s highest elected post. “In…