Manila, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines’s former President Rodrigo Duterte registered Monday to run for mayor of his southern home city despite his notorious legacy over his brutal anti-drugs crackdown that the International Criminal Court is investigating as a possible crime against humanity.
His son – incumbent Davao city Mayor Sebastian Duterte – would run as his vice-mayor in next year’s mid-term elections, officials said.
More than 6,000 people, mostly poor drug suspects, were killed under a massive police-enforced crackdown against illegal drugs that Duterte oversaw when he was president, according to government pronouncements.
Duterte has denied condoning extrajudicial killings of drug suspects, although he has openly threatened suspects with death and has ordered police to shoot suspects who dangerously resist arrest.
During his presidency, Duterte nurtured cozy ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin while lambasting the security policies of the United States and other Western governments.
Persons:
Rodrigo Duterte, Mayor Sebastian Duterte –, Duterte, Sara Duterte, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Marcos administration’s, China’s, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin
Organizations:
Mayor, ICC
Locations:
Manila, Philippines, Davao city, Davao, Duterte, China, United States