The Global Story, The Global Story, A reckoning for Duterte

The Global Story

The Global Story

A reckoning for Duterte

March 12, 2025

26 minutes

Available for over a year

The former president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. Duterte oversaw a bloody war on drugs that left tens of thousands of people dead, but he remains extremely popular with many in the Philippines, who say he cleaned up their country.

On this episode, presenter Jonny Dymond speaks to the BBC's Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head about Duterte’s years in power, and why the current government in Manila has turned him over to the ICC.

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Producers: Peter Goffin and Tom Kavanagh

Sound engineers: Mike Regaard and Jonny Baker

Assistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada Freixas

Senior news editor: China Collins