https://www.scmp.com/rss/9097/feed Alan Robles has been a journalist for more than 30 years and has written for the SCMP since 2002. A freelance foreign correspondent specialising in politics, development, foreign affairs, science, environment and IT, he has a humour column at abs-cbnnews.com and runs the political satire site hotmanila.ph. He lectured for 12 years on digital media at the Internationales Institut fuer Journalismus in Berlin. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Philippine officials want a new anti-foreign interference law ahead of the 2028 presidential election, as a raid on a suspected online scam centre near the country’s military headquarters and reports of Chinese-linked money transfers to a company tied to Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s family fuel national security concerns. On Monday, immigration and military operatives arrested 76 foreigners at a facility in Quezon City suspected of being linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3370898/philippine-law-targeting-foreign-agents-spurs-fears-free-speech-curbs https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3370898/philippine-law-targeting-foreign-agents-spurs-fears-free-speech-curbs Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Less than two years before the Philippines chooses its next president, Ferdinand Marcos Jnr still has no candidate to carry his banner. Sara Duterte-Carpio, his estranged vice-president and fiercest political rival, has already declared her intention to run and remains the early front runner, despite an impeachment trial that could bar her from politics. Marcos said on August 14 that he would “certainly endorse a candidate” in 2028 but added: “Who that is I cannot tell you because even I don’t... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3364891/has-philippines-marcos-missed-his-chance-stop-dutertes https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3364891/has-philippines-marcos-missed-his-chance-stop-dutertes Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles In the fields of central Luzon, farmers who planted their rice in June are watching the sky with worry. Out over the Pacific, a familiar spectre is gathering strength – and with it, the threat of empty granaries and hungry households. The Philippines has a plan for this year’s “super” El Nino, on paper at least. But to the Filipinos out actually working the paddies, that plan is barely perceptible. “We don’t see anything visible, it’s all talk,” said Raul Montemayor, national manager of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3360471/philippine-rice-output-risks-30-collapse-super-el-nino-strengthens https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3360471/philippine-rice-output-risks-30-collapse-super-el-nino-strengthens Tue, 14 Jul 2026 05:17:00 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles A university symposium in Guangzhou has placed the Philippines’ northernmost province of Batanes at the centre of a new argument over history, geography and sovereignty, after scholars at the event claimed the islands belonged to Taiwan and, on that basis, fell under overall Chinese sovereignty. The claim, made at a June 30 symposium hosted by Jinan University in Guangzhou, has been rejected by Philippine historians and officials, who dispute the scholars’ reading of geography, dynastic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3360416/why-chinese-academic-claim-over-batanes-has-unsettled-philippines https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3360416/why-chinese-academic-claim-over-batanes-has-unsettled-philippines Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:42:57 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Monday’s school shooting in the Philippines that killed three students and injured dozens has highlighted the decades-long problem of gun proliferation in the country, easy access to weapons despite theoretically strict laws – and Filipinos’ fascination with firearms. One shocking issue that emerged after videos of the shooting were posted online was the quantity of bullets fired and the teenaged shooters’ seeming familiarity with weapons. Officers recovered 21 fired cartridge cases, seven lead... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3358541/we-love-guns-school-shooting-exposes-reality-philippine-crisis https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3358541/we-love-guns-school-shooting-exposes-reality-philippine-crisis Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles The defacement of the National Bureau of Investigation’s website over the weekend marked an escalation in a wave of attacks on Philippine government pages, with the country’s main investigative agency becoming the third major state body in less than a week to have its site compromised. The incident followed similar attacks on the Senate’s website on Wednesday and the House of Representatives’ page on Saturday, raising questions about the government’s ability to protect even its own law... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3357196/wave-philippine-government-website-hacks-raises-alarms-over-security-investor-trust https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3357196/wave-philippine-government-website-hacks-raises-alarms-over-security-investor-trust Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:50:26 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines is no stranger to politically weaponised memes and internet trolls. What has changed is the way information warfare is waged, now requiring nothing more than a smartphone and a well-crafted prompt. Supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte helped pioneer the industrialised use of social media to spread disinformation, rewarding loyalists and destroying opponents through the ruthless deployment of memes, viral videos, paid amplifiers and manufactured trending topics. Analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355343/ai-slopaganda-and-battle-philippine-political-reality https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3355343/ai-slopaganda-and-battle-philippine-political-reality Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was once one of the most visible faces of Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly war on drugs, a tough-talking national police chief who was seen as the hatchet man carrying out the former Philippine president’s crackdown against alleged criminals of the narcotics trade. Now a senator, Dela Rosa has somewhat fallen off the radar – for six months, he has not appeared for work after reports circulated that he could face arrest in connection with the International Criminal Court’s crimes... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352535/icc-fugitive-duterte-allys-paid-philippine-senate-vanishing-act-draws-fire https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352535/icc-fugitive-duterte-allys-paid-philippine-senate-vanishing-act-draws-fire Wed, 06 May 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Questions over Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s health, amplified by supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte, have reached the Supreme Court, turning a dispute over presidential fitness into a rare test of constitutional disclosure. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court gave Marcos 10 days, or until early May, to comment on a petition regarding his state of health. The court was reacting to an “urgent petition” for a “writ of mandamus” filed by political allies and supporters of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351564/philippine-court-order-over-marcos-health-raises-constitutional-question https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351564/philippine-court-order-over-marcos-health-raises-constitutional-question Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The job ads posted on several Philippine military forums on Facebook in 2023 looked enticing. “We are hiring regional security researcher,” said a notice bearing the emblem of Janes – the well-known international aerospace and military technology publisher. It came with an eye-watering offer: “US$1,000-US$5,000.” “Send us your CV,” the ad urged, giving Viber and WhatsApp numbers as well as an email address. The hitch: while the ad was real, the recruiter was not. Researchers who traced the ad’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351225/how-fake-military-job-ads-philippines-led-alleged-spy-recruitment-pipeline https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351225/how-fake-military-job-ads-philippines-led-alleged-spy-recruitment-pipeline Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +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 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:38:58 +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 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines is weighing a new anti-disinformation law, but digital rights advocates and researchers warn that the leading proposals could give the government sweeping powers while doing little to stop the networks that actually drive online influence campaigns. In February, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr asked Congress to prioritise 21 measures before adjourning in June, including an anti-disinformation law that he said should be “balanced” – fighting fake news while maintaining freedom of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348853/will-philippines-anti-disinformation-bills-empower-state-decide-truth https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348853/will-philippines-anti-disinformation-bills-empower-state-decide-truth Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:25 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles At least three Filipinos with ties to the country’s military have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing, allegedly leaking information that sparked maritime confrontations in the disputed South China Sea. The case, which came to light last year during an ongoing multi-agency counter-intelligence effort, marks a new strategy of recruiting Filipinos for espionage instead of planting individuals with fake local identities in the country, according to Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347461/philippine-military-uncovers-alleged-new-beijing-spy-tactics-south-china-sea-row https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347461/philippine-military-uncovers-alleged-new-beijing-spy-tactics-south-china-sea-row Sun, 22 Mar 2026 05:15:07 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Philippine police have foiled a school shooting and rescued seven students radicalised by “foreigners” online to stage an attack in Laguna province near Manila, amid growing calls for stronger parental safeguards against digital threats. Officers rounded up the suspects – five boys and two girls, aged 12 to 17 – on February 2 after receiving a tip-off about an alleged plot they intended to carry out a fortnight later, the Philippine Star reported. The teens, who were turned over to social... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347111/philippine-police-thwart-roblox-linked-school-shooting-plot-7-teens https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347111/philippine-police-thwart-roblox-linked-school-shooting-plot-7-teens Thu, 19 Mar 2026 04:22:21 +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 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +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 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Public anger in the Philippines over the multibillion-peso flood-control scandal has reopened a debate that has simmered for years: will this finally force politicians to tackle a tax system many Filipinos see as unfair, inefficient and tilted against them? A Senate inquiry late last year heard that politicians and local officials had worked with contractors to siphon off at least 200 billion pesos (US$3.5 billion) earmarked for flood-control projects across the country, with some structures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343490/anger-over-philippine-flood-fund-theft-fuels-debate-unfair-tax-system https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343490/anger-over-philippine-flood-fund-theft-fuels-debate-unfair-tax-system Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:15:48 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has revealed his struggle with an abdominal ailment all while grappling with a string of political woes that would churn even the strongest of stomachs – impeachment complaints, plunging ratings and simmering public anger over corruption. Yet he has assured Filipinos there is nothing to worry about on the health front. But on Wednesday, almost a week after his disclosure, the president missed an event at the palace: an awards ceremony for outstanding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341584/whats-presidents-stomach-marcos-health-problems-call-mind-past-leaders-woes https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341584/whats-presidents-stomach-marcos-health-problems-call-mind-past-leaders-woes Thu, 29 Jan 2026 02:00:16 +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 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3341026/did-shelved-anti-disaster-scheme-lead-philippines-corrupted-flood-control-projects Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:00:09 +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 https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339488/philippine-army-colonel-faces-charges-after-anti-marcos-post-goes-viral-amid-coup-concerns Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has ordered his coastguard to inspect dredging vessels operating in Manila Bay after a US-based maritime monitoring group alleged a Chinese ship had used different identities and flags while working in local waters, a tactic it claimed could skirt Philippine law. On Tuesday, Marcos directed the coastguard to verify the registrations and identities of dredgers – large vessels that excavate and move seabed material – involved in reclamation projects within... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339087/philippines-investigates-claims-chinese-dredger-using-30-identities https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339087/philippines-investigates-claims-chinese-dredger-using-30-identities Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:08:35 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines’ long-standing alliance with the United States has come under fresh scrutiny after Washington’s move against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with critics in Manila warning the action had complicated the country’s claim to champion a rules-based international order. Opposition lawmakers and analysts said the US operation, which resulted in Maduro being captured and brought to the United States to face charges, had left the Philippines “compromised” and exposed to charges of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338810/philippine-lawmakers-say-us-move-venezuela-complicates-manilas-rules-based-stance https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338810/philippine-lawmakers-say-us-move-venezuela-complicates-manilas-rules-based-stance Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:31:39 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles As the Philippines counts down to the new year, authorities are bracing themselves for another familiar increase in injuries and deaths linked to fireworks, despite decades of regulation, annual warnings and stepped-up police raids. Health officials say dozens of people have already been hurt in the run-up to December 31, with more casualties expected as Filipinos usher in the new year with explosive celebrations that light up streets, backyards and skylines across the country. The Department of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3338063/why-filipinos-risk-injury-and-death-ring-new-year-dangerous-fireworks https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3338063/why-filipinos-risk-injury-and-death-ring-new-year-dangerous-fireworks Tue, 30 Dec 2025 03:00:13 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles A wave of fake news and conspiracy theories has taken aim at the Philippine military, with viral claims of coup plots, foreign interference and high-level defections spreading rapidly on social media. Observers warn the campaign is fuelling political instability by exploiting public outrage over recent major corruption scandals. Several trace the effort to a network of loyalists and influencers aligned with former president Rodrigo Duterte, the chief political rival of President Ferdinand Marcos... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327831/fake-coup-and-cia-plot-rumours-philippines-fuelling-real-political-turmoil https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327831/fake-coup-and-cia-plot-rumours-philippines-fuelling-real-political-turmoil Sat, 04 Oct 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles As the Philippines’ coastguard struggles to patrol vast, contested waters with a handful of ageing planes and helicopters, a single politician’s larger private fleet has become a lightning rod for public anger over corruption and the chronic underfunding of the country’s defence forces. At the heart of the scandal is Zaldy Co, who until January chaired the powerful House Appropriations Committee – a position that granted him sweeping powers over the national budget. The discovery of six... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3327475/philippine-coastguard-finds-itself-outmatched-politicians-private-air-fleet https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3327475/philippine-coastguard-finds-itself-outmatched-politicians-private-air-fleet Wed, 01 Oct 2025 05:16:45 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Half a century after his father declared martial law, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is confronting his own crisis: a corruption scandal of dizzying scale, coup rumours in the air and tens of thousands of Filipinos preparing to march on the streets of Manila. Adding to the pressure, Beijing has signalled a readiness to cement its de facto control over the contested Scarborough Shoal – a move analysts warn could permanently alter the strategic map of the South China Sea. “He’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326145/trillion-peso-turmoil-hands-philippines-marcos-legacy-defining-crisis https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326145/trillion-peso-turmoil-hands-philippines-marcos-legacy-defining-crisis Sun, 21 Sep 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Manila has spent billions on modernising its armed forces, but a new report warns the Philippines still leans too heavily on American protection – a gamble fraught with risk as US President Donald Trump repeatedly questions the value of old alliances. The Southeast Asian nation’s ability to counter China’s growing assertiveness remains in doubt, according to the assessment by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group think tank, which found that the Philippines’ security strategy is still... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323482/can-philippines-trump-proof-its-us-alliance-deter-china https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323482/can-philippines-trump-proof-its-us-alliance-deter-china Sun, 14 Sep 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles A plate of sweet pork exposed a deepening rift among Filipino loyalists rallying behind former president Rodrigo Duterte outside his detention centre in the Netherlands after a birthday bash ended in a bitter shouting match. A viral video from the August 15 celebration in The Hague showed former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque berating other guests after learning that someone had mocked him online for attending and eating humba – a caramelised version of adobo. The visibly furious Roque offered to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322798/filipino-food-fight-hague-reveals-deepening-rift-among-duterte-loyalists https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322798/filipino-food-fight-hague-reveals-deepening-rift-among-duterte-loyalists Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:24:15 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles In the Philippines, politics can often feel like theatre. But few senators embody the blurring of screen and state as fully as Robinhood Ferdinand Carino Padilla, an ex-action star whose time in office has been marked by spectacle, scandal and slapstick. The 55-year-old, once nicknamed Philippine cinema’s “bad boy”, swept into the Senate in the 2022 elections despite a past conviction for illegal firearms. While his rise was improbable, his tenure has often felt surreal. Padilla’s time in public... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3322357/cannabis-scandal-clouds-philippine-senates-bad-boy-robin-padilla-not-fit-be https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3322357/cannabis-scandal-clouds-philippine-senates-bad-boy-robin-padilla-not-fit-be Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:47:25 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles It felt like Christmas in July in the Philippines this week, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivered his State of the Nation Address on Monday with a veritable haul of gifts: cheap rice, free laptops, free bus rides and expanded healthcare. Yet for all the gift-giving flourish and parade of populist promises, one question remained – who will foot the bill? The annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) has long served as a platform for Philippine presidents to trumpet their achievements and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3320091/will-marcos-costly-sona-promises-bust-philippines-budget https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3320091/will-marcos-costly-sona-promises-bust-philippines-budget Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:07:16 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Monday’s opening of the Philippines’ Congress has been thrown into chaos by a Supreme Court ruling that effectively killed the long-awaited impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. The Supreme Court’s decision, delivered late on Friday, quashed the Senate’s long-delayed trial on a technicality, ruling that the impeachment violated the constitutional “one-year rule” against multiple proceedings within a year for the same official. The fallout has cast a pall over what would... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319798/sara-duterte-impeachment-ruling-sparks-constitutional-storm-philippines https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319798/sara-duterte-impeachment-ruling-sparks-constitutional-storm-philippines Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:00:14 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles What was billed as a bruising bout between the Philippines’ police chief and a prominent Duterte heir fizzled into farce on Sunday, as the much-hyped challenger chose exile over engagement, leaving an arena and a nation watching in bemused disbelief. Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, acting mayor of Davao and youngest son of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, challenged police chief Nicolas Torre to a fist-fight last week. But on Sunday, as an expectant crowd gathered at the Rizal Memorial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319823/philippine-police-chief-bests-dutertes-son-phantom-fight-baste-flees-singapore https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319823/philippine-police-chief-bests-dutertes-son-phantom-fight-baste-flees-singapore Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:31:41 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Philippine National Police chief General Nicolas Torre III has accepted a challenge to a fist-fight from the son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, proposing that the clash be held this weekend as a charity event to raise funds for typhoon and flood victims. The dramatic exchange, which has captivated Filipinos online, is the latest escalation in an increasingly personal feud between the Duterte family and the country’s top police officer. Tensions have simmered since Torre oversaw the March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319461/dutertes-son-challenges-philippine-police-chief-fist-fight-perfect-says-general https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319461/dutertes-son-challenges-philippine-police-chief-fist-fight-perfect-says-general Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:00:27 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles The volcanic mist that hung over Taal Lake last week seemed to thicken with every rumour. Where fishermen once cast their nets, search teams trawled the depths for sacks of secrets. Since July 10, up to 40 technical divers from the Philippines’ coastguard, aided by a remotely operated submersible, have recovered five sacks containing “suspicious objects” from the lake’s dark depths. The search, triggered by the bombshell revelations of whistle-blower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan, has left the local... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3318959/philippine-murder-mystery-spoiling-taal-lakes-catch https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3318959/philippine-murder-mystery-spoiling-taal-lakes-catch Mon, 21 Jul 2025 04:49:23 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Former president Rodrigo Duterte, a self-proclaimed womaniser, once bragged that he had a wife, a second wife and at least two girlfriends. Now, in The Hague facing a war crimes trial that could see him sentenced up to 30 years in jail, the 80-year-old has some advice for the women in his life. “To all his girlfriends – look for somebody else. Somebody with plenty of credit cards,” his son, Congressman Paolo Duterte, told supporters in The Hague on Monday, relaying the patriarch’s words after... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316844/13-or-27-lovers-philippines-duterte-kisses-goodbye-his-womanising-days https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316844/13-or-27-lovers-philippines-duterte-kisses-goodbye-his-womanising-days Fri, 04 Jul 2025 01:30:17 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles It’s morning in The Hague and Senator Robin Padilla is wandering around looking for a place to eat – while carrying a life-size full-colour cardboard cut-out of Rodrigo Duterte. Settling down at an outdoor cafe, the Filipino political partisan props the standee beside him. The cardboard image of the former president depicts him seated, wearing dark glasses and a T-shirt. Padilla, president of the Duterte-controlled PDP Laban party, snaps a photo for his social media account. To some, this scene... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312981/why-dutertes-diehard-fans-are-carrying-cardboard-cut-outs-around-hague https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312981/why-dutertes-diehard-fans-are-carrying-cardboard-cut-outs-around-hague Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Rodrigo Duterte, the firebrand former president of the Philippines, has made political history – not once, but twice. First, as the only ex-Philippine leader to face charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC). And now, as the first to win a mayoral race while imprisoned abroad, securing an extraordinary landslide victory from a detention cell in The Hague. The post he won is no ordinary local office. It is the mayorship of Davao City, the southern Philippine... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312507/can-rodrigo-duterte-serve-davao-mayor-icc-detention https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312507/can-rodrigo-duterte-serve-davao-mayor-icc-detention Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:17 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles As the dust settles from the shock of the Philippines’ midterm election, it is clear that President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his dynastic rivals, the Dutertes, have fought to a stalemate, with both camps securing an equal number of Senate seats. This political deadlock ensures that the immediate focus of national politics will revolve around the rivalry between the two powerful clans. For Marcos’ administration, pressing economic and foreign policy issues are likely to take a back seat to two... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312509/philippines-duterte-vs-marcos-battle-2028-begins-theyve-smelled-blood https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312509/philippines-duterte-vs-marcos-battle-2028-begins-theyve-smelled-blood Sat, 31 May 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines has entered the missile age, decades behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbours, with analysts divided over whether its growing arsenal enhances deterrence or places the archipelago at greater risk. During the 2025 Balikatan joint military exercises with US forces, the Philippine Navy tested an array of missiles – from Korean C-star anti-ship missiles to French Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles fired from a frigate, and Israeli non-line of sight Spike missiles launched from a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3310687/philippines-bristles-foreign-made-missiles-it-deterrent-or-danger https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3310687/philippines-bristles-foreign-made-missiles-it-deterrent-or-danger Sun, 18 May 2025 04:00:18 +0000 For over two weeks, American author Nicholas Kaufmann’s Facebook page has been overrun with posts from strangers from the Philippines. Many call him “attorney”, some plead for him to “bring our beloved president home”, and others simply offer blessings. None of them realise they’ve got the wrong man. “I’m not enjoying this,” Kaufmann said. “This isn’t how I wanted to get famous.” The 56-year-old horror novelist, who lives in New York, has been caught in a bizarre case of mistaken identity after... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3305134/us-horror-writer-mistaken-dutertes-lawyer-not-how-i-wanted-get-famous https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3305134/us-horror-writer-mistaken-dutertes-lawyer-not-how-i-wanted-get-famous Fri, 04 Apr 2025 03:00:09 +0000 A recent congressional hearing in the Philippines saw lawmakers grill social media influencers over their role in spreading false information about former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, leading to tears, apologies and admissions of “fake news”. However, observers say the spectacle did little to address the deeper disinformation networks at play, suggesting that lawmakers appeared more focused on public shaming than tackling the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3304926/tearful-philippine-influencers-grilled-over-duterte-fake-news-admit-errors-change-needed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3304926/tearful-philippine-influencers-grilled-over-duterte-fake-news-admit-errors-change-needed Wed, 02 Apr 2025 09:46:30 +0000 Rodrigo Duterte once ruled the Philippines with an iron fist, his war on drugs leaving thousands dead and his popularity seemingly unshakeable. Today, the former president finds himself in a detention cell in The Hague, awaiting trial for crimes against humanity. For President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, Duterte’s downfall is both a triumph and a gamble. By facilitating his predecessor’s detainment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier this month, analysts say Marcos Jnr has dealt a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3304360/dutertes-downfall-will-marcos-face-election-backlash-philippines https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3304360/dutertes-downfall-will-marcos-face-election-backlash-philippines Sat, 29 Mar 2025 00:00:08 +0000 Supporters of jailed former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte have called upon God, US President Donald Trump and King Charles III to help secure his release from The Hague, where he awaits trial by the International Criminal Court. They are planning to hold large scale demonstrations on Friday – Duterte’s 80th birthday – both in the Philippines and overseas, calling for his immediate repatriation. However, experts say there is little chance of Duterte returning home any time soon, given the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3303668/supporters-philippines-duterte-rally-his-repatriation-experts-say-it-unlikely https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3303668/supporters-philippines-duterte-rally-his-repatriation-experts-say-it-unlikely Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:03:11 +0000 A wave of online falsehoods from supporters of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has emerged following his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), with analysts arguing the misinformation campaign could not only fail to help his case but also backfire by affecting judicial decisions on his interim release. Duterte was arrested at the Manila airport on March 11 as he returned from Hong Kong and was then placed on a government-paid private flight to The Hague, where he faces... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3303044/disinformation-over-dutertes-icc-arrest-hits-new-low-putin-michelle-yeoh-weigh https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3303044/disinformation-over-dutertes-icc-arrest-hits-new-low-putin-michelle-yeoh-weigh Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:39:29 +0000 The Philippine government has launched an investigation into allegations that screeners at Manila’s main airport attempted to scam a traveller by falsely claiming she had a bullet in her luggage, reviving fears that the notorious tanim bala (planted bullet) racket is far from over. The three guards at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) suspected of extorting 69-year-old passenger and local entrepreneur Ruth Adel on March 6 have been relieved of their posts, according to Transportation... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3302125/philippines-investigates-possible-revival-planted-bullet-scam-airports https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3302125/philippines-investigates-possible-revival-planted-bullet-scam-airports Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:25:31 +0000 When the Facebook pages of four major influencers suddenly became unavailable on February 7, online users immediately linked it to the raging feud between the country’s two most powerful political clans, those of former president Rodrigo Duterte and the incumbent Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. All four influencers are vociferous Duterte supporters who had shared anti-Marcos content with their hundreds of thousands of followers. Last Friday, the influencers’ Facebook pages went dark, each bearing the same... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3298580/philippine-troll-takedowns-facebook-4-pro-duterte-influencers-go-dark https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3298580/philippine-troll-takedowns-facebook-4-pro-duterte-influencers-go-dark Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:52:14 +0000 Barely had the Christmas festivities concluded when the Philippines was thrust back into the throes of a bitter political rivalry. As Filipinos resumed their daily routines on January 3, a bombshell announcement shattered the post-holiday calm: Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio had been ousted from the National Security Council and now faced the prospect of yet another impeachment case – her fourth so far. It was the latest salvo in an escalating feud between the Dutertes and the Marcoses, two... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3294305/marcos-vs-duterte-death-match-2025-which-philippine-dynasty-will-survive https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3294305/marcos-vs-duterte-death-match-2025-which-philippine-dynasty-will-survive Sun, 12 Jan 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has signed a controversial national budget that critics call “heartbreaking” as it is set to gut social and health protection for the country’s poorest while putting billions in the hands of politicians for their pet projects. Marcos Jnr had delayed signing the budget by three days to conduct “a review” of what detractors said was 361 billion pesos (US$6.1 billion) sliced off by Congress from social protection and medical services to underprivileged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3292796/why-philippines-latest-budget-has-been-called-heartbreaking-and-moral-failure https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3292796/why-philippines-latest-budget-has-been-called-heartbreaking-and-moral-failure Mon, 30 Dec 2024 13:29:52 +0000 Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is facing three impeachment complaints over her refusal to account for over US$10 million in “confidential funds” her offices distributed to unknown entities, including those seemingly using aliases derived from popular snack and restaurant brands. Observers say the scandal reflects broader concerns over the growing use of and lack of oversight on such government expenditures. The impeachment complaints, lodged this month by civic groups, left-wing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3292255/philippine-vp-dutertes-us10-million-snack-name-scandal-recipe-impeachment https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3292255/philippine-vp-dutertes-us10-million-snack-name-scandal-recipe-impeachment Thu, 26 Dec 2024 02:00:12 +0000