Rodrigo Duterte, who earned the nickname “The Punisher” as a tough, crime fighting mayor, has what seems to be an unassailable lead in the race for the presidency in this nation of 7,000 islands. But he is not without controversy. There have been allegations that he used death squads to target and kill criminals in Davao City, where he has been mayor for more than 20 years. We ask Richard Heydarian, a political science professor in Manila, what Duterte’s apparent election means for the Philippines and its place in the region.
Guest
- Richard Heydarian, professor of political science at De La Salle University in Manila. He tweets @richeydarian.
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