https://www.scmp.com/rss/322639/feed Rodrigo 'Rody' Roa Duterte was the 16th President of the Philippines. The former lawyer and mayor of Davao built a reputation on fighting crime and corruption. He had a zero-tolerance policy against drug traffickers, organised crime and vowed to re-introduce the death penalty. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Families of victims of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs hailed as a “vindication” on Wednesday the International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber’s refusal to throw out the crimes against humanity case against him. Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague since March 2025 over killings linked to his anti-drugs campaign while he was in office. His lawyers argued that the court had no authority to try him because the Philippines... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:37:40 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio came under fresh pressure on Wednesday after Philippine lawmakers examining complaints that could lead to her impeachment were shown evidence of bank transactions far larger than the wealth she and her husband had publicly declared. At a House hearing, the Philippines’ anti-money-laundering watchdog said the couple’s bank records from 2006 to 2024 showed 4.4 billion pesos (US$73.2 million) in inflows and 1.5 billion pesos in outflows, despite a declared net... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:38:58 +0000 Mengzhen Liu Mengzhen Liu The decades-long negotiations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea may finally come to an end this year. Several parties involved, including China and the Philippines, have expressed confidence in reaching a final conclusion to the proposed set of rules in the contested waterways in the coming months. In March, Beijing signalled its hope of concluding negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by the end of the year while Manila has repeatedly expressed its intention to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349697/without-restraint-beijing-and-manila-cant-deliver-south-china-sea-code?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349697/without-restraint-beijing-and-manila-cant-deliver-south-china-sea-code?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte discussed removing President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr from office and even considered assassination if a supposed power-sharing deal fell apart, a jailed witness told a House impeachment hearing into Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Ramil Madriaga, a self-described political organiser, intelligence operative and bagman who said he had once been close to Duterte-Carpio, made the sensational allegations before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Her father is in custody at The Hague, her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has collapsed into bitter rivalry and she is fighting to halt impeachment proceedings before the Supreme Court. Despite all of that, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is still, by a distance, the early favourite to be the country’s next president. A new survey by Manila-based pollster WR Numero found 36 per cent of Filipinos would vote for Duterte-Carpio if the 2028 election were held today – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue a written decision by April 28 on whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. However, even if the judges decide to proceed with the trial, observers predict that the proceedings will progress at a “glacial pace”, potentially taking years to reach a ruling. Duterte, who governed the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was surrendered to the ICC in March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Philippine lawmakers have voiced hope that joint oil and gas exploration deals with China could proceed amid the global energy crunch, despite a former Supreme Court justice warning that accepting Beijing’s terms would be tantamount to “suicide” for Manila. Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier this week backed President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s intention to resume talks with China on such ventures, given the impact of the Middle East conflict. In 2023, Marcos Jnr and Chinese President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349350/philippine-lawmakers-call-oil-deals-china-prompts-warnings-trap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349350/philippine-lawmakers-call-oil-deals-china-prompts-warnings-trap?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:51:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Growing disinformation in the Philippines and distrust in authorities could have led to a sharp drop in public support, particularly among Gen Z Filipinos, for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs. Only 32 per cent of Filipino respondents of different age groups approved the ICC’s move to prosecute Duterte in April last year, a month after he was arrested and flown to The Hague, according to a survey by WR... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:30:30 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines ranks among Asia’s most gender-equal societies by several international measures. Yet ask Filipino women where they truly belong and most will still tell you: at home. A new survey has found that 83 per cent of Filipino women agree “being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay”, up from 70 per cent when the same question was posed in 1994. The findings, released by independent pollster Social Weather Stations earlier in March to coincide with National Women’s Month,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles The mountains of the Philippines are quieter now. The jungle bases that once sustained Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency are mostly emptied out. Its tens of thousands of guerrilla fighters have been reduced, by the military’s account, to something “very, very negligible”. After 56 years, the Philippine military thinks the fight is almost over – and that conviction is transforming the armed forces from the inside out. Commanders are overhauling training and strategy, moving away from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Philippine lawmakers ordered Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday to respond to impeachment complaints against her after finding substance to allegations involving unexplained wealth, the misuse of public funds and making public threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. The daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte is seen as a front runner for the 2028 presidential election, and has said she will run for the top post. She survived a similar impeachment bid last year, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345384/philippines-duterte-carpio-ordered-answer-impeachment-charges-over-wealth-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345384/philippines-duterte-carpio-ordered-answer-impeachment-charges-over-wealth-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:26:38 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte have amplified viral claims that Iran could target the Philippines in retaliation for US actions in the Middle East, a narrative analysts say is being used to portray the country’s defence ties with Washington as a threat to national security. The rumours spread widely enough online that the Armed Forces of the Philippines felt compelled to issue a public rebuttal. On Tuesday, armed forces spokeswoman Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said there was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345317/duterte-allies-use-iran-war-threat-attack-philippines-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345317/duterte-allies-use-iran-war-threat-attack-philippines-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles As judges in The Hague consider whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case should proceed to trial, a parallel battle over the narrative has taken hold online. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have accused Duterte of overseeing a campaign of extrajudicial killings linked to his signature “war on drugs”. Rights groups say the campaign left thousands dead during his 2016-2022 presidency, allegations he has repeatedly denied. Analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte personally drew up “death lists” and boasted about murders committed during his war on drugs, an International Criminal Court prosecutor alleged on Tuesday at a crimes against humanity hearing. On day two of proceedings against Duterte, ICC prosecutor Edward Jeremy laid out searing testimony, including allegations that children had their heads wrapped in packing tape and were strangled to death. “As president, Duterte publicly named persons he alleged... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344507/philippines-duterte-bragged-about-drug-war-killings-bodies-piled-icc-prosecutor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344507/philippines-duterte-bragged-about-drug-war-killings-bodies-piled-icc-prosecutor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:04:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former Philippine president Rodrigo ⁠Duterte was “pivotal” in the ⁠murder of thousands of people during his ⁠reign, prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Monday, as they pushed for his trial to go ahead. The prosecutors at the Hague-based war crimes court have charged Duterte with three counts of murder as a crime against humanity, involving dozens of ‌victims that accusers say were only a fraction of the real death toll in his clampdown on alleged drug users and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344365/duterte-was-pivotal-murder-thousands-icc-prosecutors-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344365/duterte-was-pivotal-murder-thousands-icc-prosecutors-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:02:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mary Ann Pajo watched quietly as cemetery workers opened her son’s tomb in Manila this week and removed his body for examination by a forensic pathologist. Accused of dealing drugs, 30-year-old Joewarski Pajo was shot dead while playing a game on his phone, one of thousands of extrajudicial killings alleged to have taken place under former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. A hearing begins at the International Criminal Court on Monday that will determine whether Duterte will stand trial over... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344173/families-philippine-drug-war-victims-seek-icc-justice-duterte-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344173/families-philippine-drug-war-victims-seek-icc-justice-duterte-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 13:11:47 +0000 Sam Beltran,Agence France-Presse Sam Beltran,Agence France-Presse Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio announced on Wednesday that she will run for president in 2028, formally declaring a bid long widely expected as her political camp confronts mounting legal and institutional pressure. “I offer my life, my strength and my future in the service of our nation,” she said in announcing her candidacy. “I am Sara Duterte. I will run for president of the Philippines.” The daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte used her brief speech to accuse President... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343866/philippines-sara-duterte-throws-hat-ring-2028-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343866/philippines-sara-duterte-throws-hat-ring-2028-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:37:20 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to publicly name two sitting Philippine senators as alleged “co-perpetrators” in Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case has shifted the spotlight to Manila, sharpening both the former president’s legal exposure and the country’s already fraught political fault lines. A more detailed version of prosecution filings posted on the ICC website on Friday identified Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go among eight officials... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343761/icc-naming-dutertes-allies-sharpens-philippines-political-fault-lines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343761/icc-naming-dutertes-allies-sharpens-philippines-political-fault-lines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:18:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two sitting Philippine senators have been identified as “co-perpetrators” in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court, documents released by prosecutors show. Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight current and former officials named in a document posted to the court’s website on Friday. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343572/philippine-senators-go-dela-rosa-helped-duterte-wage-drug-war-icc-prosecutors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343572/philippine-senators-go-dela-rosa-helped-duterte-wage-drug-war-icc-prosecutors?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:05:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is facing three new impeachment complaints, setting the stage for renewed scrutiny aimed at preventing her from becoming the country’s next leader. But unseating her and barring her from politics will not be easy. The complaints are awaiting action from the House of Representatives, dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s allies, which resumes sessions next week. The accusations range from misuse of public funds to an assassination threat... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343550/philippine-efforts-unseat-duterte-carpio-face-snags-too-popular-impeach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343550/philippine-efforts-unseat-duterte-carpio-face-snags-too-popular-impeach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:48:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will face a hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) next month, judges ruled on Monday, rejecting arguments the 80-year-old was unfit to take part. Duterte will face a so-called “confirmation of charges” hearing starting on February 23, where judges decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial. “Having regard to the relevant legal principles, the medical assessment of the independent experts … and all of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341279/philippines-duterte-face-icc-hearing-next-month-judges-toss-out-health-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341279/philippines-duterte-face-icc-hearing-next-month-judges-toss-out-health-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:54:30 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines is reviving a popular disaster monitoring and simulation programme that was defunded nine years ago by then president Rodrigo Duterte – a move that some have blamed for resulting in a swathe of corrupted construction projects now plaguing the country. Last month, Congress said it would allot 1 billion pesos (US$16.9 million) in the 2026 General Appropriations Bill for the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) project, a clutch of programmes that identifies risk... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3341026/did-shelved-anti-disaster-scheme-lead-philippines-corrupted-flood-control-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3341026/did-shelved-anti-disaster-scheme-lead-philippines-corrupted-flood-control-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Japan urged to ‘correct historical errors’, return Tang dynasty stele to China 2. Melaku Belachew, Shitaye Eshete claim Hong Kong Marathon crowns - as it happened 3. Trump shrugs off concerns over Canada-China EV deal, calls it a ‘good thing’ 4. Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ in Marcos... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3340370/hongkongers-race-2026-marathon-china-pursues-self-reliance-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3340370/hongkongers-race-2026-marathon-china-pursues-self-reliance-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:30:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Monday that a “significant” discovery of natural gas had been made near the country’s sole producing offshore site. About 2.8 billion cubic metres (98 billion cubic feet) of natural gas was found 5km (three miles) east of the Malampaya Field near the island of Palawan, Marcos said, or enough to provide power to 5.7 million homes for a year. The Philippines has some of the region’s highest energy costs and faces a looming crisis as the Malampaya... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340358/philippines-first-gas-discovery-over-decade-offers-hope-looming-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340358/philippines-first-gas-discovery-over-decade-offers-hope-looming-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:47:11 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian America’s capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro in a special operation sent shock waves across the world. With characteristically bombastic rhetoric, US President Donald Trump hailed Operation Absolute Resolve as “an assault like people have not seen since World War II” and “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might” in history. His deputies were quick to add that the operation also showed the long arm of the US justice system by accusing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339093/us-action-venezuela-fuels-asias-fears-collapsing-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3339093/us-action-venezuela-fuels-asias-fears-collapsing-rules-based-order?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles A Philippine army colonel relieved for his anti-Marcos stance has “voluntarily” returned to his unit and will face charges and psychiatric evaluation, according to his superior. Audie Mongao was on Friday discharged from command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Training Support Group after he publicly withdrew support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in a social media post, saying “it’s too much, enough already”. Army spokesman Louie Dema-ala said Mongao was “put into attached/unassigned... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339488/philippine-army-colonel-faces-charges-after-anti-marcos-post-goes-viral-amid-coup-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339488/philippine-army-colonel-faces-charges-after-anti-marcos-post-goes-viral-amid-coup-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military has opted to keep Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio in charge of an army reserve command despite her incendiary public remarks, even as it recently expelled a pro-Duterte lawmaker from the reserve force for politicised conduct. Military officers and defence observers said the contrasting treatment underscores how power, political risk and legal grey zones shape how the Armed Forces of the Philippines disciplines its reservists, as the rift between the president and his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339179/uniform-justice-why-philippine-military-expelled-lawmaker-not-vp-sara-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339179/uniform-justice-why-philippine-military-expelled-lawmaker-not-vp-sara-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Armed Forces of the Philippines has hailed the sudden arrest of retired air force general Romeo Poquiz over inciting to sedition as within the “rule of law”, after a video surfaced of him openly urging the military chief to withdraw support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whom he described as a drug addict. The country’s leader is grappling with a spiralling corruption scandal over billions of pesos squandered on anomalous flood control projects. Amid mounting public outrage, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338819/philippine-military-backs-rule-law-after-ex-general-arrested-over-sedition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338819/philippine-military-backs-rule-law-after-ex-general-arrested-over-sedition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The death of a senior public works official alleged to have played a central role in the billion-peso flood-control scandal in the Philippines has cast fresh doubt over the future of a months-long corruption probe, with investigators now facing questions over lost testimony and compromised evidence. Legal analysts say the investigations now risk unravelling altogether, warning that the probe is “in peril” after the loss of a figure seen as pivotal to understanding how alleged budget manipulation... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338128/after-key-officials-death-can-philippines-flood-control-probe-still-deliver-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338128/after-key-officials-death-can-philippines-flood-control-probe-still-deliver-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:30:14 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How the Peranakan Chinese built one of Southeast Asia’s most powerful networks Born of trade and migration, the Peranakan community has forged a distinct identity that has bridged China and Southeast Asia for centuries. 2. Philippine court upholds murder verdict in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3338111/southeast-asias-peranakan-chinese-malaysian-ex-pm-jailed-1mdb-saga-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3338111/southeast-asias-peranakan-chinese-malaysian-ex-pm-jailed-1mdb-saga-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:02:38 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As the Philippines wraps up a tumultuous year punctuated by colourful barbs thrown across warring political houses, an ongoing corruption scandal surrounding flood control projects threatens to derail President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration. Externally, Manila has been embroiled all year in a long-standing territorial row with Beijing in the South China Sea that shows no signs of waning, while also gearing up for the hot seat as next year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337692/philippines-2025-year-crisis-corruption-scandal-south-china-sea-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337692/philippines-2025-year-crisis-corruption-scandal-south-china-sea-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippine Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of three policemen who killed a teenage boy at the height of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in 2017, a watershed moment that legal analysts say affirms the country’s justice system. In a decision made public on Monday, the court found Arnel Oares, Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz guilty of murdering 17-year-old high school student Kian delos Santos while conducting an anti-drug operation in the city of Caloocan in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337685/philippine-court-upholds-murder-verdict-drug-war-case-what-does-it-mean-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3337685/philippine-court-upholds-murder-verdict-drug-war-case-what-does-it-mean-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 05:41:18 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma George Yeo is a visiting scholar at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He started his career in the military before entering politics in 1988. During his 23 years with the Singaporean government, Yeo held ministerial portfolios ranging from arts to health, trade and – for seven years – foreign affairs. After he left politics, Yeo was vice-chairman of Kerry Group in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021 and chairman and executive director of its logistics arm from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337074/george-yeo-superpower-headaches-and-why-us-dollar-could-crack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337074/george-yeo-superpower-headaches-and-why-us-dollar-could-crack?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 22:00:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Extremist movements in the Philippines have come under scrutiny since it was revealed that two suspected terrorists had visited the country weeks before they killed 15 people in Australia, but observers argue that such threats have waned and officials should avoid “overreach” in linking the case. Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, had allegedly opened fire on people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday. The older man was killed while Naveed was in critical... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337025/philippines-being-unfairly-targeted-australias-bondi-beach-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337025/philippines-being-unfairly-targeted-australias-bondi-beach-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 06:48:02 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma George Yeo was Singapore’s foreign minister for seven years, ending in 2011, after earlier holding ministerial portfolios related to technology, health and trade. Before entering politics, he served in the city state’s military. He is now a visiting scholar at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He was also vice-chairman of Kerry Group in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021 and chairman and executive director of its logistics arm from 2012 to 2019. SCMP Plus... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3336863/yeo-how-trump-wants-avoid-taiwan-upending-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3336863/yeo-how-trump-wants-avoid-taiwan-upending-china-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:28:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘It’s life’: ex-NBA star in Singapore for brain cancer treatment exudes hope Former National Basketball Association (NBA) centre Jason Collins, who has a deadly form of brain cancer, is undergoing an experimental treatment in Singapore, with those involved in the trial... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3336583/ex-nba-player-fights-cancer-singapore-porn-star-mocks-bali-arrest-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3336583/ex-nba-player-fights-cancer-singapore-porn-star-mocks-bali-arrest-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:03:26 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has urged Congress to fast track a long-delayed law banning political dynasties, but a bill filed by the speaker of the House and his eldest son is drawing sharp criticism for aiming to do the opposite. Days after the president met House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos and others, Dy and the younger Marcos filed the bill on Friday. Lawmakers and critics have slammed the proposal for legitimising and entrenching... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336488/anti-dynasty-bill-philippines-slammed-ridiculous-and-weak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336488/anti-dynasty-bill-philippines-slammed-ridiculous-and-weak?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:38:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A plunder complaint filed against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio has reopened scrutiny of her use of “confidential funds” and opened a new legal front in a political stand-off that could shape the early dynamics of the 2028 presidential race. A highly placed source, who told This Week in Asia about the complaint a week before it was filed, said the move was intended to blunt Duterte-Carpio’s prospects in the 2028 presidential election by tying her down in a prolonged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336367/plunder-complaint-against-philippine-vp-sara-duterte-attempt-blunt-her-2028-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336367/plunder-complaint-against-philippine-vp-sara-duterte-attempt-blunt-her-2028-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A group of civilians including two former government officials, filed a corruption complaint against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, in a fresh political challenge for the estranged deputy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. The complaint, filed with the Ombudsman’s office on Friday, alleged that Duterte and 15 other officials, misused 612.5 million pesos (US$10.4 million) in public funds through “coordinated schemes” implemented across both the Office of the Vice-President and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336233/philippines-vice-president-duterte-faces-new-corruption-charges-sparking-political-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3336233/philippines-vice-president-duterte-faces-new-corruption-charges-sparking-political-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:30:22 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China desalination tech makes fresh water cheaper than tap water – plus hydrogen China has launched a revolutionary facility in the eastern province of Shandong that produces fresh water from seawater for just two yuan (US$0.28) per... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3335986/chinas-desalination-technology-hong-kong-legco-election-turnout-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3335986/chinas-desalination-technology-hong-kong-legco-election-turnout-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 04:30:08 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A former spokesman for Rodrigo Duterte has claimed that the International Criminal Court is preparing to arrest two of the ex-Philippine leader’s closest allies over his administration’s bloody war on drugs. Harry Roque told This Week in Asia that President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr intended to use such arrests to “destroy the [political] opposition”, arguing that clearing Duterte-allied senators from the chamber would secure the votes Marcos needed to oust Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio – his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335662/could-icc-warrants-against-duterte-allies-alter-philippines-senate-balance-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335662/could-icc-warrants-against-duterte-allies-alter-philippines-senate-balance-power?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is facing his lowest ratings yet since taking office in 2022, a trend observers warn could be a signal that his efforts to quell the spiralling corruption scandal around the country’s flood control projects are backfiring. Marcos’ satisfaction ratings fell to 21 per cent in November – a drop of 14 percentage points from August, and his steepest decline since February this year, according to findings released by independent public opinion firm WR Numero... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335633/filipinos-losing-patience-marcos-anti-corruption-drive-presidents-ratings-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335633/filipinos-losing-patience-marcos-anti-corruption-drive-presidents-ratings-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:56:58 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court’s ruling that Rodrigo Duterte is too politically connected to be trusted on interim release – citing his entrenched networks and even a “joke” from his daughter about breaking him out – has entwined the former president’s legal predicament with the political dynamics shaping the 2028 race. Analysts told This Week in Asia that the decision has narrowed the 80-year-old’s room for political manoeuvre while potentially strengthening, under some circumstances, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334797/iccs-denial-dutertes-release-raises-philippines-political-stakes-ahead-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334797/iccs-denial-dutertes-release-raises-philippines-political-stakes-ahead-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:48:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will remain in detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) after appeals judges on Friday rejected a request to release him on health grounds. The 80-year-old is facing charges of crimes against humanity for his alleged involvement in dozens of killings as part of his so-called war on drugs when in office, first as the mayor of a southern city and later as president. Duterte’s lawyers failed to show that an October decision by the lower chamber... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334540/icc-rejects-philippines-ex-president-dutertes-request-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334540/icc-rejects-philippines-ex-president-dutertes-request-release?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:35:52 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Senator Imee Marcos, the estranged sister of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, said there is a void in the nation’s leadership as politicians grapple with a growing corruption scandal and instead is backing his deputy as a potential replacement. “There is a vacuum at the top,” Imee Marcos said during an interview in her Manila office on Thursday. “And that’s a problem because all sorts of sinister and malignant forces have jumped in to fill that void.” Tensions between the siblings... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334449/marcos-sister-says-philippines-faces-leadership-vacuum-new-jab-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334449/marcos-sister-says-philippines-faces-leadership-vacuum-new-jab-president?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 03:07:47 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A travel ban imposed by the Philippines on two figures tied to its notorious offshore gaming industry marks the latest bid by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration to project toughness and reclaim public trust. But analysts say that the deepening flood-control scandal – involving the alleged misuse of billions of pesos – remains the true barometer of political fortunes in Manila. The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday confirmed the cancellation of passports belonging to Harry... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334270/philippines-targets-more-pogo-figures-can-marcos-regain-public-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334270/philippines-targets-more-pogo-figures-can-marcos-regain-public-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr refused to respond on Monday to an allegation by his estranged sister, a senator, that he has been a long-time drug addict whose cocaine dependence has undermined his governance, saying with a sombre tone that he did not want to discuss a family rift in public. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro has said that Senator Imee Marcos’ accusations against her own brother before a huge religious rally in Manila last week were “a web of lies”, and may... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334012/philippines-marcos-sisters-drug-claims-were-worried-about-her?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334012/philippines-marcos-sisters-drug-claims-were-worried-about-her?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:30:37 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A fugitive former Philippine lawmaker has accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr of directing him to add 100 billion pesos (US$1.7 billion) worth of dubious public works projects to the national budget, a claim that throws new fuel on the corruption scandal that has dogged his administration for months. Analysts say the explosive allegation, made in a video sent to reporters by ex-appropriations chairman Zaldy Co, could feed a wider destabilisation push by rival political blocs, including allies... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332876/fugitive-ex-philippine-official-accuses-marcos-ordering-bogus-flood-control-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332876/fugitive-ex-philippine-official-accuses-marcos-ordering-bogus-flood-control-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 13:45:26 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippine government is facing mounting legal and political uncertainty after reports emerged that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may have issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa – the former national police chief widely seen as the main enforcer of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s violent war on drugs. Dela Rosa, a long-time Duterte ally and now a sitting senator, oversaw the Philippine National Police during the early years of Duterte’s presidency, when... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3332521/were-rumours-philippines-icc-warrant-duterte-ally-dela-rosa-calculated-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3332521/were-rumours-philippines-icc-warrant-duterte-ally-dela-rosa-calculated-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 02:00:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who oversaw then-president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, according to the nation’s ombudsman, although the ICC denied the assertion. Duterte, in office from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on a warrant linking him to murders committed during his war on drugs, in which thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed. “The ICC has issued a warrant... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332048/icc-arrest-imminent-dutertes-philippine-drugs-war-ally-dela-rosa-ombudsman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332048/icc-arrest-imminent-dutertes-philippine-drugs-war-ally-dela-rosa-ombudsman?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 10:34:18 +0000