Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte steps down

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who earned international infamy for his deadly drug war and foul-mouthed tirades but remains hugely popular among Filipinos fed up with the country's dysfunction and political elite stepped down from his post yesterday, as reported by AFP.

A tough-talking populist and self-professed killer, Duterte launched an anti-crime campaign that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of alleged dealers and addicts while drawing global condemnation.

Duterte repeatedly said there was no official campaign to illegally kill addicts and dealers, but his speeches included incitements to violence and he told police to kill drug suspects if their lives were in danger.

"If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself, as getting their parents to do it would be too painful," Duterte said hours after being sworn in as president in June 2016.

Yet millions of Filipinos backed the 77-year-old's swift brand of justice, even as he joked about rape in his rambling speeches, locked up his critics and failed to root out the nation's entrenched corruption.

His daughter Sara's victory in the vice presidential race on May 9 showed his popularity remains sky-high, six years after being swept to power on a promise to rid the country of drugs.

That trust was dented by the coronavirus pandemic, which plunged the country into its worst economic crisis in decades, leaving thousands dead and millions jobless amid a slow-paced vaccine rollout.

Duterte's woes deepened during his final year in office as International Criminal Court (ICC) judges authorised a full-blown investigation into a possible crime against humanity during his drug crackdown.

Duterte was rarely seen in public during the pandemic, apart from weekly appearances on television in pre-recorded meetings with his key advisers.

On occasion, he disappeared altogether, fuelling rumours about his health until loyal aides posted "proof of life" photos on social media, showing him playing golf, riding a motorbike or taking a walk.

(with inputs from agencies)

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