While the official results of the presidential election in the Philippines won’t be known for a little longer, the preliminary tally with more than 94% of precincts reporting on Monday showed Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Junior with an insurmountable lead over the incumbent VP Leni Robredo. Meanwhile, Sara Duterte-Carpio is far …
Read More »US and Philippines launch largest-ever joint military drills
Joint military drills have begun between the United States and the Philippines in the Pacific nation, with nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers taking part in the 12-day training exercise. The war games mark the largest-ever drills to take place in the archipelago state, reflecting strengthening relations between the two …
Read More »International Criminal Court makes surprise move in Philippines drug war probe
The ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan said the probe was suspended after the Philippine government filed a request to defer the case earlier this month, according to court documents cited by Reuters on Friday. “The prosecution has temporarily suspended its investigative activities while it assesses the scope and effect of …
Read More »China responds to Philippines’ accusation of blocking its ships
The two Philippine vessels “trespassed” into waters near the Nansha island chain – also known as the Spratly Islands – on November 16, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan told reporters on Friday, noting that they entered the area “without China’s consent.” “Chinese coast guard vessels performed official duties in accordance with law …
Read More »Philippines ‘reminds’ China of defense pact with US over incident in disputed waters
Manila’s Department of Foreign Affairs detailed the encounter in a statement on Wednesday, alleging that a pair of supply boats en route to the Ayungin Shoal – also known as the Second Thomas Shoal – were stopped by three Chinese vessels and “water cannoned” before they could reach their destination. …
Read More »Philippines announces probe into thousands of killings during Duterte’s war on drugs as initial review suggests abuses took place
On Wednesday, the Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ) released details of 52 civilian deaths which took place during police operations linked with Duterte’s five-year campaign on drugs. The released details suggest the police may have been at fault for some of the deaths. In several cases probed by the DOJ, …
Read More »‘Jab ‘em in their sleep’: Philippines’ Duterte proposes new way of tackling vaccine hesitancy
The unorthodox approach to boosting vaccination rates was touted by Rodrigo Duterte during his latest ‘Talk to the People’ address on Monday. “I know many people are still hesitant,” the president said, as quoted by local media. The president added that he was ready to personally lead the nocturnal immunization …
Read More »‘Retiring’ Duterte seems to confirm daughter’s run for Philippines presidency – if she can be convinced to join ticket
Duterte, 76, is barred from serving a second six-year term as president under the constitution. For some time, he was reportedly considering a plot to retain the presidency by becoming a running mate for his long-time aide Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go on the election ticket, and subsequently replacing him at …
Read More »Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte announces retirement from politics
Duterte, who has been president since 2016, is ineligible to seek another term in the next year’s presidential vote. His ruling PDP-Laban party instead nominated the 76-year-old for the position of vice-president. But Duterte announced on Saturday that he won’t be running for VP, saying that he had made this …
Read More »President Rodrigo Duterte declares ICC ‘no longer has jurisdiction’ over Philippines after it launches probe into his war on drugs
The ICC gave its prosecutor the green light on Wednesday to investigate allegations of crimes committed in the Philippines between 2011 and 2019 as part of Duterte’s war on drugs. According to a statement from the international body, the court’s probe is justified due to concerns about extrajudicial killings in …
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