Philippine Archives - Page 4 of 4

17Jan

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Philippine

Philippines’ Duterte Hints He May Impose Martial Law over Drugs

NOVANEWS President Rodrigo Duterte speaks at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Philippines, Dec. 22, 2016. | Photo: Reuters. Last month, Duterte appeared to rule out any possibility he might declare martial law. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he would impose martial law if the drug problem became "very virulent," just a month after dismissing as "nonsense" any suggestion he might do so. Duterte has made a brutal war on drugs a central pillar of his administration since he took office in the middle of last year. Since July, more than 6,000 people have been killed in the anti-drug campaign, in both police operations and unexplained killings by suspected "vigilantes." More than 1 million drug peddlers and users have been arrested or have surrendered to a...

2Jan

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Philippine

The Incomplete ‘People Power’ Revolution Boosted Duterte’s Rise

NOVANEWS By: Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles, University of the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, then a candidate, speaks in front of a communist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) flag during the release of five policemen held by the rebels for a week, in Davao city, southern Philippines, April 25, 2016. | Photo: Reuters The election of Duterte may be seen as the nadir, but possibly also a turning point, in the long-standing democratic deficit in Asia’s oldest democracy. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has confirmed that he killed three men during his time as mayor of Davao city, despite officials trying to downplay an earlier admission. Duterte’s comments might yet hurt his popularity but that seems unlikely. Duterte’s national crusade has resulted in an alarming daily av...

24Oct

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Philippine

Philippines peace talks

NOVANEWS Peace talks between the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF) resumed in Oslo on 22 August 2016. The opening ceremony began with a brief introductory speech by the Special Ambassador to the Philippine Peace Process, Elisabeth Slattum welcoming the two delegations and expressing the hope that the resumption of the talks will prove to be a firm foundation for the negotiations ahead. She was followed by Norwegian Foreign Minister, Boerge Brende, who welcomed the delegations on behalf of the Royal Norwegian Government (RNG) that had acted as a facilitator in the peace negotiations. Noting that the armed conflict between the GPH and the NDF had been one of the longest conflicts in the wor...

21Sep

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Far East, Philippine, USA

Duterte Says U.S. Special Forces in Philippines ‘Have to Go’

NOVANEWS Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the withdrawal of U.S. military from the restive Jolo and Basilan islands, marking his latest in a string of statements distancing the Filipino government from Washington. “These special forces, they have to go,” Duterte said in a speech during an oath-taking ceremony for new officials. “I do not want a rift with America. But they have to go.” Duterte, who was in the spotlight last week over his televised tirade against U.S. imperialism and President Barack Obama, said that the U.S. special forces now training Filipino troops were high-value targets for the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf as counter-insurgency operations intensify. “Americans, they will really kill them, they will try to kidnap them to get ransom,” Du...