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'The Punisher' Is The Likely President In Philippines

Rodrigo Duterte answers questions from journalists during a press conference on May 10, 2016 in Davao City, Philippines. Duterte is set to become the Philippines' next president after Monday's election. (Jes Aznar/Getty Images)
Rodrigo Duterte answers questions from journalists during a press conference on May 10, 2016 in Davao City, Philippines. Duterte is set to become the Philippines' next president after Monday's election. (Jes Aznar/Getty Images)

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.

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