Rodrigo Duterte

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte strongly defended his deadly drug war as he testified on Monday at a senate probe of the crackdown.

Police said the campaign left more than 6,000 people dead, but rights groups estimate tens of thousands of mostly poor men were killed by officers and vigilantes, often without proof they were linked to drugs.

U.S. President Joe Biden made "ironclad" defense pledges to Japan and the Philippines on Thursday as he hosted his counterparts amid growing tensions with Beijing, whose actions the three leaders described as "dangerous and aggressive."

In doing so, he joined a group of security officials who have vowed to defend the nation following secessionist threats by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake was registered in the Philippines, Reuters reported citing the US Geological Survey.

The tremor was 37 kilometres west of Davao City, at a depth of 22 kilometres. So far, there are no reports of casualties and devastation, nor of a tsunami threat.

This is the third earthquake in the area since October 16.

At least 18 people were killed when two bombs hit a church on a southern Philippine island that is a stronghold of Islamist militants, the military said Sunday, days after voters backed the creation of a new Muslim autonomous region, reports AFP. 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte drew outrage Sunday after saying he "touched" his maid when he was a teenager, with women's rights groups accusing him of attempted rape and encouraging sexual abuse.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Filipino soldier, five militiamen and four villagers were killed by a powerful bomb that exploded in a van the troops were inspecting Tuesday amid threats of bombings in a southern province, military officials said.

A Philippine mayor accused of involvement in narcotics trafficking survived an ambush on May 13, police said, four months after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly threatened to kill him.

The Philippines has barred entry to an EU party official critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal drugs crackdown, in a move denounced by critics yesterday as a gag on dissent.

President Rodrigo Duterte has launched a foul-mouthed attack on the U.N. human rights chief, calling him "empty-headed" in a row over international criticism of the Philippine leader's deadly drug war.