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Rodrigo Duterte
Serving as Philippine president and launching a deadly anti-drug campaign.
Anti-drug campaign · Free tertiary education
- Born
- 28 March 1945
- Birthplace
- Maasin, Philippines
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Rodrigo Duterte is a Philippine politician who served as president from 2016 to 2022 after a long career in Davao City government.
Early life
Political household
His father served as governor of Davao.
Legal education
Studied at Lyceum of the Philippines and San Beda College of Law.
Career
- 1988
Davao mayor
Began his first elected term as mayor.
- 2016
Presidency
Won the national presidential election.
- 2025
ICC transfer
Was arrested and surrendered to the International Criminal Court.
Selected work
Anti-drug campaign
A violent crackdown became the defining controversy of his presidency.
Free tertiary education
Signed legislation funding tuition at public higher-education institutions.
Bangsamoro law
Signed the law establishing a new autonomous regional government.
Beyond work
Political family
His daughter Sara also became a national political figure.
Court proceedings
In April 2026, ICC judges confirmed crimes-against-humanity charges and committed him to trial; this was not a conviction.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Further source ↗Photo: Government of the Philippines. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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