The Philippine opposition tries to push back against authoritarianism

By Dominic Ziegler: Banyan columnist, The Economist

IN THEORY 2022 is the year in which the Philippines puts the Duterte era behind it. The constitution limits the president to a single six-year term. Though hailing from one of the country’s political dynasties, Rodrigo Duterte ran for office in 2016 as the foul-mouthed defender of the common man. He promised spending on infrastructure and prioritisation of growth; constitutional change to devolve powers to regions from the overweening capital, Manila; and a foreign policy that kow-towed to no great power. Above all, he declared war on drugs, crime and corruption. “I am your last card,” he promised voters. “I will get down and dirty just to get things done.”

Here, at least, “Duterte Harry” was true to his word. Yet in his war on drugs, road-tested during his two decades as mayor of Davao, more than 20,000 Filipinos were gunned down by hitmen, often off-duty cops. Many victims were just small-time drug dealers, or children and other innocents.