Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the Philippines' 16th president on Thursday, capping an unlikely journey for a provincial city mayor whose brash man-of-the-people style and pledges to crush crime swamped establishment rivals in May's election.
Philippines President Benigno Aquino on Sunday appealed to Filipinos to defend their freedom and democracy and remain vigilant as he warned the horrors of martial law under the late Ferdinand Marcos could happen again.
Rodrigo Duterte became the 16th president of the Philippines on Monday when a joint session of Congress declared him winner of a May 9 election, succeeding Benigno Aquino.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino warned on Saturday the frontrunner in the race to replace him carried similar dangers to Hitler and would bring terror to the nation.
The Philippine Supreme Court ruled Tuesday a military accord with the United States was constitutional, paving the way for a greater presence of US forces in the former American colony as tensions simmer in the South China Sea.
