Will Duterte rock Philippine defence boat?
The presidential electoral victory of Rodrigo Duterte on 9 May could have seismic implications for not only the Philippines, but also the whole region.
Duterte, former mayor of Davao City in Mindanao, raced to victory on the back of tough talk against crime and corruption. However, he has sent mixed messages regarding defence policy and how to deal with the country’s South China Sea territorial dispute with Beijing.
Malcolm Davis, senior analyst for defence strategy and capability at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told Shephard that Duterte is ‘throwing a spanner in the works’ by his disinclination to support
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