In part 1 of this column, we examined how Rodrigo Duterte’s imprisonment at The Hague may become the linchpin of an audacious final maneuver: using his death to catapult Sara Duterte into the presidency of the Philippines in 2028. Beneath the domestic spectacle lies a far larger geopolitical chessboard, where external powers—most notably China and the United States—treat Philippine politics not as a sovereign process but as leverage in a much broader confrontation. Beijing sees the Philippines as critical—not just for its geographic proximity to Taiwan and key shipping lanes but for its role in regional narratives of US containment. In less than 100 days, he has stricken fear in the hearts of persons and institutions in America and beyond. Civil liberties are suspended “for the sake of order.” The Philippines becomes the battleground for proxy competition. Read Full Story
