![Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, 76, had been absent in public for two weeks, fuelling speculation over his health [File: Ace Morandante/Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/b51e5c145f3948c5850890674fce4e65_18.jpeg?resize=570%2C380)
Philippine president, who has not been vaccinated against COVID-19, resumes weekly address to dismiss health rumours.
Rodrigo Duterte
![Duterte's spokesman said the government will investigate the latest deadly incident, but insisted that the order for troops to kill communist rebels is 'legal' [File: Ted Aljibe/AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/000_94J2HM.jpg?resize=570%2C380)
Human rights office urges thorough investigation into killings which came days after ‘shoot-on-sight’ order issued.
![Rights groups have warned that the threat no longer makes any distinction between armed rebels and other rights defenders as well as critics of the Duterte administration [Eloisa Lopez/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2020-06-04T000000Z_1055589267_RC2D2H9D4HAY_RTRMADP_3_PHILIPPINES-RIGHTS-PROTESTS.jpg?resize=570%2C380)
Duterte’s threat on Friday has sparked fears of a new wave of bloodshed.
![Duterte told communist rebels on Friday that they have 'no ideology' and that they are just fighting like 'bandits' [RTVM Malacanang]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Screen-Shot-2021-03-06-at-12.15.25-PM.png?resize=570%2C380)
Latest threat by Philippine president ignites fears of a new wave of violence similar to deadly drug war.
![In his more than four years in office, it was the first time that Duterte addressed the UN body, which marks its 75th anniversary this year [Manuel Elias/UN via AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/000_8QH6ZN-1.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Philippine president says Manila ‘firmly rejects’ attempts to undermine 2016 ruling declaring China’s claim illegal.
A funeral parlour in Manila becomes a window into the lives and deaths shaping President Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’.
![Pemberton was jailed in 2015 for killing Jennifer Laude near a former US navy base north of the capital, Manila [Eloisa Lopez/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/927fd79e7a2843fdba9865c642d982eb_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton was jailed in 2015 for killing Jennifer Laude in Olongapo City.
![Duterte's office on Tuesday said the Philippines stands ready to work with Russia on vaccine trials, supply and production [File: Ace Morandante/Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/d075ca9445f642e8bd6ec3fe237b834d_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Amid warnings by experts, Russia steps up vaccine development and promises to deliver it to the Philippines.
![Duterte's order early on Monday came after 80 local groups representing 80,000 doctors and a million nurses called for tighter controls, saying the country was losing the fight against the coronavirus [Screenshot: Government TV - RTVM]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/f27b283c461e45fb8a93e4d2637fcd52_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Philippine president orders restrictions in Manila, neighbouring provinces affecting as many as 25 million people.
![Duterte said a lengthy lockdown that was one of the strictest in the world may have hurt the economy but had kept the number of infections in the country in check [Presidential Photos via Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/f76e81b83e82436d917488cec4885e9b_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Philippine president lists measures to revive economy amid pandemic but veers towards war on drugs and death penalty.
![President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month signed a widely opposed anti-terror law, which critics fear could be used against human rights defenders and to muzzle dissent [File: Robinson Ninal Jr/Office of the President via AP Photo]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/0d1aed5dea5b4fc7af296abdb920057b_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Philippine president seen as having firm grip on power but faces unprecedented criticism over COVID-19 response.
![In the absence of a clear healthcare approach, critics say Duterte has increasingly militarised efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus [File: Eloisa Lopez/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/d7a13b48c395491ca397ac27a4b8f36d_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Philippine president’s threats follow a government official’s proposal to impose a ‘shame campaign’ to contain COVID-19.
![Since his election in 2016, Duterte repeatedly threatened the company with closure [File: Rolex dela Pena/EPA]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/81512168231f43ddb3ff1f0643f9d82b_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Shutdown deprives millions of Filipinos access to information while thousands of employees are expected to lose jobs.
![Legal experts warn that the anti-terror law's overly broad articles will allow discriminatory enforcement, privacy infringements and suppression of peaceful dissent [Aaron Favila/AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/75d8ecc9f3814d0fa1886260b68789ed_18.jpeg?resize=270%2C180)
Philippine president signed bill into law on Friday after pushing it through Congress during the coronavirus lockdown.