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May 10, 2016

Philippines elects 'Dirty Harry'

The Philippines has elected Rodrigo Duterte, a mayor from the southern city of Davao who has been nicknamed "Dirty Harry" for his tough stance on crime.

Duterte becomes the 16th president of the predominantly Catholic country since it declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, after 333 years of Spanish colonization.

The 71-year old Duterte drew flak early in his campaign for the presidency for using offensive language to criticize Pope Francis for causing a traffic jam in Metro Manila during his visit in 2015.

The president-elect has expressed solidarity with the pontiff who pointed out that illegal drugs resulted in corruption and violence in Mexico.

Duterte has blasted the government for failing to solve the problem of criminality, including the proliferation of illegal drugs.

Outspoken about his threats to kill criminals, including drug dealers, he has been blamed for incidents of extrajudicial killings in Davao.

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UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia