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Rodrigo Duterte

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, center, gestures as he greets his supporters during a motorcade promoting his presidential bid in the 2022 national elections in Manila, Philippines, Feb. 8, 2022.

Campaign season in the Philippines ramps up 

Elections

The 2022 campaign season in the Philippines officially kicked off on Tuesday with presidential campaign rallies across the country. It’s the start of a 90-day sprint to Election Day on May 9. Ten candidates are running to replace current president Rodrigo Duterte, who is term-limited. 

Supporters of Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo gesture as they wait for her to declare her bid to run for president in next year's elections in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. 

A star-studded list of candidates files for president in the Philippines

Elections
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana shake hands after a bilateral meeting with their counties' flags behind them

Philippine president reverses threat to void long-standing defense deal with the US

Global Politics
Photo of ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wearing a blue, green and orange outfit

Human rights activists hope international court will help end Duterte’s deadly war on drugs in the Philippines

Protesters shout and wear a colorful boat on their heads with the words "oust Duterte" painted on it.

Federalism in violence: Part I

Critical State
Protesters hold signs and yell during a protest.

The Philippines identified as the deadliest country for environmental activists

Environment

The NGO Global Witness detailed in its annual report how the Philippines has been identified as the deadliest country in the world for environmental activists, in large part due to violence and intimidation from the mining, energy, and logging industries.

Philippine's President Rodrigo Duterte speaks behind a blue podium in a white shirt

Does Duterte’s wrath against the Catholic Church have no limit?

Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-Catholic scorn does not appear to be seriously damaging his appeal. The first polls of 2019 show the president’s approval rating is up to 80 percent, despite 8 in 10 Filipinos being Catholic.

A closeup of Maria Ressa with her hand up in front of her face.

Maria Ressa says journalism is democracy’s ‘first line of defense’ and Rappler won’t back down

Media

Time Magazine honored journalists with its Person of the Year award. The list of journalists include Maria Ressa, founder of the investigative Rappler Media in the Philippines. Ressa and Rappler have been covering extrajudicial killings in the country, part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called war on drugs.

duterte

The Philippine leader apparently just confessed extrajudicial killings. Opponents want an investigation.

“What is my sin? Did I steal, even one peso? Did I prosecute somebody whom I jailed,” Duterte said. “My only sin is the extrajudicial killing,” he said, without elaborating.

duterte

Duterte, rejecting talk of dictatorship, suggests he will step down early

Global Politics

“I am old. I have no more ambition. I really would like to rest.”