Duterte plays by his own rules

Friends and colleagues of the Philippine president discuss what drives him

MANILA -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte capitalised on his tough guy image to vault himself into the presidency in June 2016. So far, his sky-high 80 per cent approval rating has remained unscathed by his frequent outbursts or a hard-line approach to drug crime.

It is estimated that more than 6,200 people have been killed over the last six months in connection with Duterte's high-profile drug war. Many of those suspected of involvement in the narcotics trade have been killed by vigilante groups. The United Nations and others have blasted the crackdown as an extrajudicial killing spree.

But people who know Duterte from his days in the city of Davao, in the southern Philippines, are quick to defend him, saying his actions stem from a profound sense of justice that does not allow him to overlook the deeds of influence peddlers and criminals.

Businessman Samuel Uy, who has known the 71-year-old president since high school and provided crucial financial backing for his campaign, recalled that Duterte had developed a reputation as hard-nosed some 30 years ago.

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Around 1980, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law under the pretext of wiping out communist rebels. A crackdown on anti-government activists by the military and police followed. The New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, had killed a number of police officers and soldiers at the time. Criminal prosecutors feared chasing eye to both abuses committed by the military and police, and killings by NPA for fear of revenge.

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