Rodrigo Duterte

The Philippines' president from 2016 to 2022 launched a "war on drugs" that killed an estimated 12,000 to 30,000 people — many in extrajudicial killings by police and vigilantes. Duterte openly encouraged the killings, once telling police to shoot female rebels "in the vagina." The International Criminal Court opened an investigation into his drug war. Despite international condemnation, Duterte maintained approval ratings above 80% domestically, illustrating the gap between international human rights norms and domestic populist support.