Take 7,100 islands, add 100 million people, throw in a twist of corruption, an unhealthy slug of poverty and a dab of dynastic politics, and what do you get? A recipe for disaster, you might think. And yet the Philippines has been simmering nicely enough as a developing democracy since the overthrow of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Recent years have been marked by relative stability and economic growth that’s outpaced most of Southeast Asia.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he would not cooperate with a special anti-corruption prosecutor's investigation into allegations he acquired ill-gotten wealth, vowing he would "not submit" to its authority.The ombudsman said last week it was investigating claims Duterte's bank accounts had hundreds of millions of pesos (millions of dollars) which he failed to disclose as required by law.Duterte responded by lashing out at the ombudsman, calling the agency &q

President Donald Trump has backed away from a threat to skip a summit with South East Asian leaders in the Philippines later this year, with the White House saying it had accepted an invitation from host Rodrigo Duterte.In a statement Friday, the White House said that Trump will visit Manila as part of a bumper November 3-14 tour of China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the US state of Hawaii.The announcement tees up a meeting between Trump and President Duterte, who has been accused of &quo

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, a fierce critic of the United States, is now singing Washington's praises for helping him fight pro-Islamic State group militants."There are so many factors involved.

Two Vietnamese fishermen were found dead and five others arrested after a sea chase ended in a collision in Philippine waters at the weekend, authorities said Monday.A Philippine patrol ship pursued six Vietnamese fishing boats 30 nautical miles off the northern coastal town of Bolinao, a regional military spokesman told AFP.Officials are investigating the cause of the pair's death, but their bodies were found after a Vietnamese boat slammed into the Philippine vessel, said Lieutenant Jo

Over the past week, the Philippines and Myanmar had been thrown into the limelight due to on-going conflicts that ripple through the nations. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war had once again captured media attention. On September 20, The ASEAN Post discussed the controversies that are surrounding Duterte's highly disputed drug war which has murdered over 7,000 people in the country so far.

Thousands of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's critics and supporters held rival rallies Thursday, taking emotional national debates over his deadly drug war and martial-law threats to the streets.Police in battle gear were mustered to keep order as protesters held a series of rallies across the capital of Manila, using the 45th anniversary of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos imposing martial law to warn that Duterte was equally violent and authoritarian."Our country is turning i

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will have his son killed if drug trafficking allegations against the younger politician are true, and that the police who carry out the hit will be protected from prosecution.Paolo Duterte, 42, this month appeared before a senate inquiry to deny accusations made by an opposition lawmaker he was a member of a Chinese triad who helped smuggle in a huge shipment of crystal methamphetamine from China.President Duterte did not refer to the allegatio

On the night of August 18, 2017 in Caloocan – the fourth most populous city in the Philippines – nineteen-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz appeared to have been kneeling on the ground before being mercilessly shot – four times in the chest and once in his right arm – by policemen who alleged that he returned fire whilst they were responding to a robbery call.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte may declare nationwide martial law next week if threatened massive protests by communists and other leftists against his rule turn violent or disrupt the country, his defence chief said Friday."He said, if the left will try to have a massive protest, start fires on the streets, they will disrupt the country, then I might (declare martial law)," Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters, recounting a conversation with Duterte this week.