Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pledged on Monday to press ahead with a war on drugs that has already killed thousands, and castigated critics of his signature initiative.Duterte opened his annual State of the Nation Address with a defence of the narcotics crackdown that is now in its third year and remains largely supported in the Philippines despite fierce international censure."Let me begin by putting it bluntly: the war against illegal drugs is far from over," he told hundr

Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency has been nothing short of controversial. Ever since he was elected as the 16th President of the Philippines two years ago, he has drawn criticism from activists and leaders the world over. Most recently, Duterte was condemned for forcibly kissing an overseas Filipina worker on the lips during a live event.This latest controversy encapsulates Duterte’s reign well – he will do what he wants, whenever he wants, regardless if the whole world is watching.

As Southeast Asian leaders arrive in Singapore this week for the 32nd ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) today called for the urgent need to tackle human rights concerns and reform in the region.In an open letter to the attending heads of state, the APHR called on Singapore as chair of the grouping this year to pay emphasis to emerging security challenges rooted in the flimsy human rights laws within member states.

Ever since the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced the preliminary examination of Rodrigo Duterte on 8 February 2018, the president of the Republic of the Philippines has been having a hard time clarifying his stand on the ICC’s actions.

 University of Oxford published a study last year titled “Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers: A Global Inventory of Organised Social Media Manipulation” which highlighted “cyber troops” that governments or political parties would use to manipulate public opinion over social media. One of the countries that was included in the study was the Philippines.

Indonesian lawmakers are facing scrutiny from human rights groups and LGBT organisations for their draft of amendments to the national Criminal Code. The amendments, which are currently being finalised in the People’s Representative Council include laws that would punish extramarital sex, cohabitation between couples and same-sex activities. Indonesia is looking to update its Criminal Code, which they inherited from their Dutch colonisers.

An Indonesian court has sentenced ten men to two years in prison for taking part in a gay sex party at a sauna, court documents show.The group were among at least 141 men detained during a raid on a building that houses a sauna and a gym in the capital Jakarta in May.While most were released, ten were charged and found guilty last Thursday of violating the country’s controversial 2008 anti-pornography law."(The defendants) have been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt of displaying nud

ASEAN GeopoliticsThis week, sanctions on North Korea were further tightened after Pyongyang’s refusal to halt their nuclear program – the latest being Thailand which has been called on by the United States to put more trade and diplomatic pressure on the hermit nation.The ASEAN Post also covered the prospect of achieving a “high quality” Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in pursuit of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).Outcome of RCEP negotiations so far.The question of U

Singapore is increasingly using harsh laws to severely restrict freedom of speech and assembly, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, urging authorities to let people publicly debate matters of national interest.A report from the New York-based rights group said that while the financial hub was an economic success, it was time to relax tough regulations which are not in line with international human rights standards."Singapore promotes itself as a modern nation and a good place to do busine

In conjunction with Human Rights Day 2017, the ASEAN Parliamentarian for Human Rights (APHR) committee constituting of lawmakers from across the Southeast Asian region have reiterated that “2017 has been a challenging year for human rights advocates in Southeast Asia.”Taking the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and the bloodshed in Philippines’ war on drugs and the crackdown on press freedoms across the region as prime examples of human right catastrophes which are still yet to be resolved, makes i