More than 300,000 people have been displaced and at least 31 were killed as Typhoon Rai tore through the Philippines. It was the archipelago’s 15th and strongest major storm this year. The tropical storm, named Rai internationally but named Odette locally, gathered over the Philippines this week, later than most typhoons which typically develop between […]
Etichetă: philippines’
Duterte reacts to China blocking Philippines ships
President Duterte has condemned recent events in the South China Sea in which Philippines vessels were confronted by the Chinese Coast Guard, saying it speaks poorly of relations between the two nations. Speaking on Monday, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte responded to last week’s flare-up in which Philippines boats were fired upon by Chinese Coast Guard […]
International Criminal Court makes surprise move in Philippines drug war probe
The International Criminal Court has halted an investigation into alleged rights abuses carried out by Philippines authorities as part of a harsh crackdown on the drug trade, saying it is reviewing a deferral request from Manila. The ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan said the probe was suspended after the Philippines government filed a request to […]
China responds to Philippines’ accusation of blocking its ships
China has accused the Philippines of breaching its territory, saying two supply ships were blocked by Beijing’s coast guard as they approached a disputed shoal. Manila protested over the run-in, citing its own claim to the area. The two Philippines vessels “trespassed” into waters near the Nansha island chain – also known as the Spratly […]
Philippines ‘reminds’ China of defense pact with US over incident in disputed waters
The Philippine government has accused the Chinese Coast Guard of unleashing water cannon on two supply ships in a disputed stretch of the South China Sea, claiming its boats were blocked and forced to turn around. Manila’s Department of Foreign Affairs detailed the encounter in a statement on Wednesday, alleging that a pair of supply […]
Philippines’ Duterte vows to punish local officials unless Covid-19 vaccine rollout improves
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to punish government officials if they fail to meet targets for the country’s Covid vaccine rollout. Only a little over a third of the population is fully inoculated at present. In a recorded message aired on Wednesday, Duterte challenged government officials to ramp up daily Covid-19 vaccinations to at […]
Philippines announces probe into thousands of killings during Duterte’s war on drugs as initial review suggests abuses took place
The Philippines justice ministry has said it will investigate thousands of deaths which occurred during President Rodrigo Duterte’s heavy-handed war on drugs after it published details of 52 reviewed cases. 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 […]
‘Jab ‘em in their sleep’: Philippines’ Duterte proposes new way of tackling vaccine hesitancy
Filipino ninja doctors may soon be sneaking into the homes of Covid-19 vaccine refuseniks to inject them in their sleep. At least that’s the idea proposed by the country’s trigger-happy president. The unorthodox approach to boosting vaccination rates was touted by Rodrigo Duterte during his latest ‘Talk to the People’ address on Monday. “I know […]
Over 150 cops involved in President Duterte’s war on drugs may face criminal charges – Philippines govt
More than 150 police officers could face criminal charges over their actions during President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, the Philippines Justice Department has said, citing the results of a preliminary probe. The Justice Department has examined 52 cases related to the war on drugs, which saw the death of suspects, as part of its […]
‘Retiring’ Duterte seems to confirm daughter’s run for Philippines presidency – if she can be convinced to join ticket
The daughter of Rodrigo Duterte may seek to succeed her father as the Phillipines president instead of pursuing reelection as mayor, the controversial leader implied shortly after announcing his plans to retire from politics. Duterte, 76, is barred from serving a second six-year term as president under the constitution. For some time, he was reportedly […]
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte announces retirement from politics
The Philippines’ controversial leader Rodrigo Duterte has said that he will not run for vice-president of the country in the 2022 election, but will instead retire from politics altogether. 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 […]
Duterte’s daughter seeking reelection as Davao mayor, despite leading polls to succeed her father as Philippines leader
The daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, who also tops all opinion polls on preferred candidates to replace him as president, has said she will seek to be reelected as mayor of Davao City, with her younger brother to run as vice-mayor. “According to Mayor Sara, she will run for reelection as Davao City Mayor,” Sara Duterte-Carpio’s […]
President Rodrigo Duterte declares ICC ‘no longer has jurisdiction’ over Philippines after it launches probe into his war on drugs
Speaking via his lawyer, President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe into his war on drugs, claiming his country has “left the Rome statute” and the tribunal “no longer has jurisdiction.” The ICC gave its prosecutor the green light on Wednesday to investigate allegations of crimes committed in the Philippines between 2011 […]
ICC backs probe into Philippines ‘war on drugs’ despite Manilla warning foreigners to stay out of it
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has granted its prosecutor’s request to open an investigation, within the jurisdiction of the court, into alleged crimes committed in the Philippines during the ‘war on drugs’. In a statement on Wednesday, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber granted its prosecutor permission to probe reported crimes in the Philippines between 2011 and […]
Philippines’ Duterte orders officials to get his consent before attending senate probes, accused of trying to ward off scrutiny
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered that members of his cabinet are required to get his consent to appear at Senate investigations, with some critics calling the move an attempt to avert scrutiny. Duterte issued the orders in a recorded televised address on Tuesday, declaring: “I will require every cabinet member to clear with me […]