Who were the presidential candidates' top donors?

Jhoanna Ballaran and Bonz Magsambol, ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group

Posted at 15 Apr 2016 01:35 AM | Updated as of 21 Apr 2016 06:02 PM

MANILA, Philippines—Who helped fund the last electoral campaign of Vice President Jojo Binay, Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Defensor Santiago, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas II?

According to records obtained from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Binay, Poe, and Roxas spent millions of pesos in their last electoral campaign: Binay and Roxas in 2010, when they fought over the vice presidency; Santiago and Poe in the 2010 and 2013 senatorial elections, respectively; and Duterte in the 2013 mayoral race in Davao City.

Some of the donors of Binay, Poe, and Roxas, according to their own Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), were executives from the country’s top companies, including San Miguel Corporation, Araneta Group, and Aboitiz Group.

SOCE is a detailed account of a candidate’s campaign sources of contributions as well as expenses, as required by Omnibus Election Code of 1985.

In contrast, Santiago and Duterte declared to have spent their own money.

Santiago’s money
Santiago listed a P500,000 donation from herself. She spent P117.52 million for her 2010 campaign and ranked third in the senatorial race.

Duterte’s allowance
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who ran unopposed in 2013 mayoral race, declared he got no donation. He spent P85,845 only and won the mayoralty for the seventh time.

Binay’s friends
Binay listed a total of P231.48 million in donations from 554 donors, including those linked to corruption scandals involving his family. He spent about P218 million for his vice presidential campaign while his rival, Roxas, spent P279.35 million. Binay won with 14.6 million votes, beating Roxas by 727,084 votes.

Darlene Webb Zshornack, president of Planet Drug Store, gave Binay P10 million, making her Binay’s biggest campaign donor. Planet Drug Store operates the pharmacy in Ospital ng Makati from 2009 up to present under Makati City’s public-private partnership program. In a 2012 report, the Asian Development Bank called the collaboration as “among the ‘best practices’ in the healthcare sector in the Philippines.”

Spouses James and Anne Tiu were second in the list, each contributing P7.5 million or a total of P15 million. James is a brother of Antonio Tiu, whom a Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee hearing alleged as Binay’s dummy in the ownership of the 350-hectare Sunchamp Agri-Industry Park in Rosario, Batangas.

According to the records of the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2015, James served as one of Sunchamp Real Estate Development Corporation’s board members, owning P3.35 million worth of the company’s shares. He also served as the principal financial officer and director of Greenergy Holdings Incorporated, a company his brother owned, from 2010 to 2013.

Anne was Sunchamp’s corporate secretary in 2010.

In December 2014, James and Anne were slapped with a P39-million tax evasion suit by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. They were cited in contempt last year for not attending the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub Committee’s probe on Binay’s alleged ill-gotten wealth for several times.

Binay also received P5-million each from Victor Valdepeñas, president and chief operating officer of Aboitiz-owned Unionbank (he resigned in December 2015); Enrique Lagdameo, national treasurer of Boy Scouts of the Philippines; and a certain Victor Binay.

Roxases’ millions
Almost 74 percent or P180 million of Roxas’ P244-million campaign contributions came from the Aranetas, his maternal family. He received P50 million each from the following:
•     Judy Roxas, his mother and Araneta Group’s vice chairman and senior executive vice president;
•     Jorge Araneta, his uncle and Araneta Group’s chairman of the board, president and CEO; and
•     Maria Araneta-Fores, his aunt and one of the Araneta Group’s directors.

Augusto Ojeda, Roxas’ late brother-in-law, donated P20 million. Another aunt, Ruby Roxas, and cousin Jorge A. Fores, Araneta Group’s vice president for collections, each gave P10 million.

The Araneta Group owns investment company Progressive Development Corporation, which manages Araneta Center; Philippines Pizza Inc., the franchise holder of international food chain Pizza Hut; and Uniprom Inc., the leisure and entertainment ventures of the Araneta Center such as the Smart Araneta Coliseum, TicketNet Online, Gateway and Ali Mall Cineplex. The group also owns several land properties in San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal, as well as in Bacolod and Talisay cities in Negros Oriental.

Roxas spent P279.35 million in his lost bid for the vice presidency, P61.4 million bigger than that of his rival, Binay.

Poe’s family
Poe ran in 2013, declared having received P129.15 million in donations and spent a total of P123.45 million, leaving her with P5.7 million in excess funds. And, to the surprise of many, she topped the senatorial race with a total of 20.34 million votes.

The largest portion of Poe’s contribution came from her mother, Jesusa Poe, popularly known as actress Susan Roces, P17.4 million; and her late father’s Fernando Poe Jr. Productions, Inc., P18.25 million which, according to SEC records, ceased operations since May 26, 2003.

Poe’s 2014 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth showed that she inherited shares of the production company in 2008 worth P2.23 million.

Executives from large corporations also vouched for Poe. Each of the following individuals contributed P10 million for her campaign:

•     John Paul L. Ang, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Eagle Cement Corporation, which operates a 252-hectare limestone mining sites in Doña Remedios and San Ildefonso, Bulacan;
•     Thomas A. Tan, director of San Miguel Corporation, president and general manager of San Miguel Corporation Shipping and Litherage Corp., president of Saturn Cement Corp. and Sakamoto International Packaging Corp.;
•     Michael D. Escaler, president of Aboitiz-owned San Fernando Electric & Light Power Corp. , which sources its energy from hydroelectric and geothermal power plants in Albay and Benguet; and
•     Edwin L. Luy, president of Triton Securities, an investment company in which he owned 67 percent of the company’s shares.

Now, can someone just give away his millions without expecting anything in return?

Who is Duterte's top donor Emilio Aguinaldo?

ABS-CBN News

Posted at 26 Apr 2016 06:54 PM

MANILA – Who is presidential race front-runner Rodrigo Duterte's top campaign donor "Emilio Aguinaldo"?

During the final debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections and hosted by ABS-CBN, Duterte was asked by host Karen Davila to name his top campaign donor.

Duterte answered, ''nasa bukid, ma'am." However, when pressed for a name, he said ''Emilio Aguinaldo."

Duterte spokesperson Peter Laviña explained that the "Emilio Aguinaldo" mentioned by the Davao City mayor represents the many poor Filipinos, such as farmers, who have contributed small amounts to the Duterte campaign.

"Iyung pera natin, mga heroes ang nakalagay sa pera natin. Si Emilio Aguinaldo sa 5 peso bill natin, meron din coins na 5 pesos. Maliit masyado ang halaga pero malaki ang symbolism dahil isa sa ating national hero si Emilio Aguinaldo. Iyun lang ang halaga na kayang ibigay ng maliit na tao,'' Laviña said. 

Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Philippines during the first Republic from January 1899 to March 1901. - report from Paul Palacio, ABS-CBN News Davao

Trillanes: Duterte didn’t declare P211M in SALN

P197 MILLION GIVEN ON MAYOR’S BIRTHDAY IN 2014

SHARES: 382

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By: Nancy C. Carvajal

@inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer

02:27 AM April 27th, 2016

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DUTERTE CONNECTION Five police officers captured by the New People’s Army are turned over to presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte during ceremonies in a rebel-influenced village in the city’s Paquibato District. Seated at right are two NPA members. (Related story in Across the Nation, Page A18.) BARRY OHAYLAN/CONTRIBUTOR

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CONTRARY to his claim that he was a poor man, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had at least P211 million in an account at a bank branch in Metro Manila in 2014, according to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

As mayor, Duterte receives a monthly pay of P78,946 (Salary Grade 30) under the government salary standardization law prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.

Duterte, a presidential candidate, did not declare the P211 million in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), said Trillanes, a vice presidential candidate.

Failure to declare an asset is a ground for an employee’s dismissal from government service.

In his 2014 SALN, Duterte reported a net worth of P21,971,732.62—assets worth P22,971,732.62 and a liability of P1 million, a personal loan from a certain Samuel Uy.

Duterte held the account at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City jointly with daughter Sara, who used the maiden name of her mother, Zimmerman.

Sara served as Davao City mayor in 2010 to 2013, with her father as vice mayor.

Father and daughter gave Ecoland Subdivision in Davao City and P. Guevarra Street in San Juan City in Metro Manila as their home addresses.

Accusing Trillanes as “money for hire,” Duterte denied the existence of the BPI bank account that contained P211 million.

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LIST of deposits in a bank account allegedly owned by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

Birthday gifts?

On his 69th birthday on March 28, 2014, eight cash deposits totaling P197 million were credited to Duterte’s bank account in the BPI Julia Vargas branch, records showed.

Trillanes said the eight deposits consisted of P55,131,747.32, P41,721,035.62, P16,852,832.94, P16,852,782.94 and four P20-million transactions.

The funds were remitted to the BPI account through interbank transfers.

Records also showed that on April 1, 2014, Sara paid cash for a P20-million life with investment insurance policy from BPI-Life Assurance Corp.

Trillanes, who provided the Inquirer data on Duterte’s bank accounts, said he obtained the information from various sources.

Other accounts

“I received the information through my various networks. Mayor Duterte who brags that he is not corrupt and is a simple and poor man should be asked to explain about his secret bank accounts that contained at least P200 million,” the senator said.

Trillanes declined to identify the source of the documents but said he believed in the integrity of the information because they were verifiable.

The account in the BPI Julia Vargas branch was separate from the bank accounts of Sara and her husband, Mans Carpio, Duterte’s sons Paolo and Sebastian and his common-law wife, Cielito Avanceña, that also contained deposits totaling hundreds of millions of pesos, according to Trillanes.

In Duterte’s 2014 SALN, a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer, the mayor reported cash assets (in hand and in the bank) worth P13,846,732.62, but he did not disclose how and when he acquired these.

He also declared in his SALN that he acquired a piece of agricultural land in Catigan Toril, Davao City, worth P500,000 in 2014.

For his real estate properties, Duterte reported residential lots valued at P1.7 million and agricultural lands valued at P1.7 million.

Duterte declared as personal properties vehicles worth P1.1 million, household appliances and furniture worth P450,000, jewelry worth P300,000 and investments worth P3.8 million.

Car dealer incorporator

Duterte also reported in his SALN that he had been an incorporator of Honda Cars in General Santos City since 1997 and of Poeng Yue Foundation in San Pedro, Davao City, in 2012, but he did not state any income.

The SALN also showed that the value of Duterte’s assets two years ago were higher by just a few hundred pesos than the P21,618,289.73 he declared for 2013.

The SALN is aimed at helping keep public servants honest, since the information it should contain would aid the public in keeping track of any sudden increases in a government employee or official’s wealth.

Apart from his monthly salary of P78,946, Duterte said he also received allowances from various agencies he headed, such as Watershed Management Council, Regional Peace and Order Council, City Peace and Order Council, Investment Incentive Board and Public Private Partnership Board.

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MAYOR Rodrigo Duterte’s 2014 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth

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#VotePH2016: The Inquirer multimedia coverage of the 2016 national and local elections in the Philippines provides to voters the latest news, photos, videos and infographics on the candidates and their platforms, as well as real-time election results come May 9, 2016. Visit our special Elections 2016 site here: http://www.inquirer.net/elections2016.

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Why Duterte's message of 'care and power' attracts

Duterte's advantage over his rivals with political machinery lies in his 'emotionally-attached' supporters, say analysts

Post by: www.rappler.com

Pia Ranada @piaranada

Published 7:30 PM, April 26, 2016

Updated 7:30 PM, April 26, 2016

CRAZY CROWDS. Lipa residents mob Duterte as he makes a courtesy call to the city mayor. Photo by Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters seem to be everywhere.

It could be one of your officemates passionately explaining Rodrigo Duterte’s platform, a high school classmate who constantly posts Duterte quotes or memes, a taxi driver proudly sporting a Duterte baller, or even your doctor making a heartfelt defense of Duterte’s latest controversial remark while you wait in his clinic.

Duterte’s supporters are outspoken, both online and offline. Online data shows they are the most engaged on social media, making Duterte’s name trend on Twitter, voting for him diligently in online surveys.

The Davao City mayor has supporters from all social classes: from market vendors who label their fruits and vegetables with his name to businessmen who transform their SUVs to shiny Duterte posters on wheels.

JAM-PACKED. A sea of supporters show up in Bacolod for Duterte's rally on April 18, 2016. Photo from Rody Duterte Facebook page

But you ain’t seen nothing yet until you attend his rallies. Jam-packed football fields and plazas. Filled-to-the-brim auditoriums and covered courts. Many of these crowds, sometimes numbering tens of thousands, are not given food or drink by organizers.

Most wait 6 hours or more for Duterte to arrive. I talked to a mother who was in the venue by 8 am. Duterte, perenially late, showed up at 6 pm.

Was she angry to be waiting? No. It would all be worth it to catch a glimpse of Duterte, she said. True enough, the crowds are almost hysterical when he arrives. I’ve seen women cry at the sight of him or jump over barriers and shove away his bodyguards to kiss him on the cheek.

Once, a sea of supporters in Batangas broke the glass door of the Lipa mayor’s office in their determination to follow Duterte.

Political analysts say this is Duterte’s secret weapon: his emotionally-attached base of supporters.

“Duterte’s advantage is that he has emotionally-attached supporters. Supporters of other candidates choose by rational calculation but Duterte’s supporters give their whole heart and soul,” said UP political analyst Aries Arugay.

This emotional attachment could be one reason why a sizable chunk of Duterte’s support base are voluntary campaigners, not paid campaigners or “hakot.”

Arugay calls it a “grassroots” movement and even suspects that this level of volunteerism for a candidate can beat traditional political machinery when it comes to safeguarding votes. (READ: Over 600,000 OFWs mobilizing for Duterte campaign)

“It could trump machinery. The machinery is paid. People work for the machinery because they are hired. In Duterte’s case, it’s volunteerism,” Arugay told Rappler.

His message of 'care'

So why the emotional attachment?

Ateneo de Manila University sociologist Jayeel Cornelio credits Duterte’s cross-cutting appeal to people’s perception of him as a “savior.” This perception comes from Duterte’s dual message of “care and power,” says Cornelio.

Those from lower economic classes are particularly swayed by the way he projects himself as a caring leader.

Foundational to this message is people’s perception of him as an “authentic” leader.(READ: Can Rodrigo Duterte win by being himself?)

“Duterte’s appeal lies in that he presents himself as an authentic person. Even if he curses, people perceive that as ‘nagpapakatotoo lang siya’ (he is just being true to himself),” said Cornelio.

His gutter language, his crass jokes, his constant reminders that he is an "ordinary person", even his flirting with local women reinforce the perception that he is “from the people, for the people.”

The poor are more likely to have an “emotional affinity with a man who is one of the people,” says Cornelio.

In this sense, the emotional vote is not necessarily an irrational vote, says Cornelio. It’s still a calculated decision to support someone who cares for you, who seems to have your best interests at heart.

Contrast Duterte with administration bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

Roxas is likely not less sincere in his intention to serve the country, but what matters is how the less privileged perceive him.

The US-educated former secretary with a famous surname is very careful with his words and often speaks the “language of technocracy” which can be cold and alienating to poor Filipinos.

“If he was applying as CEO, he would get the job. But the president is also head of state. He carries with him a very symbolic role,” says Cornelio.

Roxas’ attributes do not necessarily match with attributes most important to a Filipino voter which Cornelio listed down as, “concern for the poor, having principled stance, and personal integrity.”

It doesn’t help that Roxas is heavily associated with the Aquino administration, an administration that is more and more perceived as being “cold and distant.”

President Benigno Aquino III has been “missing in action” in some of the biggest crises of his 6 years in power like the Manila hostage-taking, Mamasapano massacre, and Kidapawan protest, said Cornelio.

“The Aquino administration is not known for empathy,” he added.

Compare this to how Duterte supporters promote his image.

They post old photos of Duterte wading shin-deep in a flood as he assists in disaster response efforts, they tell stories of how Duterte offered himself as a hostage in a prison riot, they share every moment he facilitated the release of hostages from New People’s Army rebels.

Duterte, Marcos maintain lead in latest Pulse Asia survey

Post By CNN Philippines Staff
Updated 15:13 PM PHT Tue, April 26, 2016

Rodrigo Duterte (L) and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (R)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice-presidential bet Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. maintained their leads in the latest Pulse Asia pre-electoral national survey conducted from April 16 to 20.

The top headline during the survey period was Duterte's rape slur that received flak from women's groups, international ambassadors, and international media. It was also when he flip-flopped from his apology for the remark.

Related: Duterte lashes out at foreign envoys, women's group

Despite the issue hounding Duterte, he still emerged to the top of the presidential race with 35 percent, enjoying a 12-percentage point lead over Sen. Grace Poe (23 percent).

Liberal Party (LP) bet Manuel "Mar" Roxas II (17 percent) is statistically tied with Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" (16 percent) in third place. Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago still remained in the last spot with 2 percent. Six percent still remained undecided.

The survey has a ± 2.3 percent error margin.

1,800 registered voters were asked in face-to-face interviews: "If the coming May 2016 elections were held today, whom would you vote for as PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES?"

Marcos still leading VP

Marcos continued to lead the vice-presidential race with 29 percent.

In second place is Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo (24 percent). Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero (18 percent) and Sen. Gringo Honasan (16 percent) are in third and fourth place, respectively. In the last spot is Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (3 percent). Seven percent still remained undecided.

The vice-presidential debate hosted by a TV network happened on April 17. Marcos and Honasan were unable to attend the said debate.

Top senatorial candidates

The latest Pulse Asia survey said the leading candidates for the senatorial race are Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Senate President Franklin Drilon.

The other candidates on the list are former senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The survey result also listed other probable winners in the May 2016 senatorial elections: Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, Sergio R. Osmeña III, former Akbayan Party List Rep. Risa Hontiveros,  Sen. Ralph Recto, former Sen. Richard Gordon, Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin T. Gatchalian, former Technical Education and Skills Development Administration (TESDA) Director General Emmanuel Villanueva, and former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

The survey result was released on Tuesday (April 26).

End Of De Facto Dynastic Rule? Philippine Voters Set To Elect Duterte

Posted by: http://www.forbes.com

Ralph Jennings ,

 CONTRIBUTOR

I cover under-reported stories from Taiwan and Asia.FOLLOW ON FORBES (110)Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Forbes Sun, Apr 24 8:00 PM PDT 

For 50 years Philippine voters have picked members of a few families to run the country. Presidents and senators keep springing from surnames such as Aquino, Arroyo, Estrada and Marcos. Yet since the 1960s, despite its strengths such as tourism and a boom in call centers, about a quarter of the population lives in poverty and its corruption ranks world No. 95 out of 168 on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index. People feel fatigued as well now by a drug problem, as the United Nations said in 2012 their country had Asia’s highest use of methamphetamine strain known colloquially as “shabu.”

Following the lead of other countries fed up with political establishments, Filipinos are poised to elect an outsider to national politics. He’s Rodrigo Duterte, mayor of the country’s second largest city Davao. Duterte says he has cleaned up that city, a 1980s stronghold for communist rebels and a rightist vigilante group. Duterte has anchored his presidential campaign with pledges to do the same across the country after 22 years as mayor.

 

Philippine presidential front-runner candidate Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a campaign in Manila on April 23, 2016. Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte renewed his vow to ‘kill’ criminals during his campaign. (NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images)

A Pulse Asia Research poll released Sunday found that Duterte leads other candidates, including current vice president Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe and former senator Mar Roxas. Meanwhile, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is running for vice president. Today’s president, Benigno Aquino III, must step down in June after the usual six-year term.

“The top three issues are one, poverty and jobs; two, peace and crime, especially drugs; and three, corruption and government services,” says Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Philippine advocacy group Institute for Political and Electoral Reform. “Duterte appeals to the frustration and despair of ordinary people on government actions regarding their lives. He promises quick action.”

Early word is that Aquino’s hard-line approach to China over maritime disputes and his boost in infrastructure spending to attract investors will waver little no matter who gets elected in May.

Duterte Widens Lead in Philippines Race Despite Rape Comment

Posted by: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-25/duterte-widens-lead-in-philippines-race-despite-rape-comments

By: Karl Lester M Yap               Ditas B Lopez karllesteryap

Rodrigo Duterte jumped further ahead in the Philippine presidential race, according to a new poll taken after the tough talking Davao City mayor’s inflammatory comments over the 1989 rape and murder of an Australian missionary, as the campaign enters its last two weeks.

In the latest poll published by BusinessWorld and conducted by Social Weather Stations April 18 to April 20, Duterte led with 33 percent compared with 27 percent in SWS’s previous survey. Senator Grace Poe was in second with 24 percent, while Mar Roxas, the candidate backed by outgoing President Benigno Aquino, was third on 19 percent. Vice President Jejomar Binay fell to fourth with 14 percent. The election will be held on May 9.

While Aquino has presided over the Philippines’ fastest growth since the 1970s and curbed corruption, voters appear to be embracing Duterte’s pitch as an honest broker whose tough-guy approach will enable him to get things done, particularly in areas such as cutting through infrastructure logjams and curbing crime.

"The rise of Duterte in the Philippines polls reminds me of Donald Trump’s rise in the U.S.," said Curtis S. Chin, a Milken Institute Asia Fellow and managing director of advisory firm RiverPeak Group, LLC. "Duterte and Trump have both tapped into a growing sentiment that the established political classes are not the solution to long-standing economic problems. Both the Philippines and the U.S. electorates seem to be hungering for stronger leadership."

In Sunday night’s third and final televised presidential debate, all candidates pledged to push back against claims by China to disputed islands in the South China Sea. Duterte promised to personally visit the territory to stake his nation’s claim if China refuses to accept the outcome of international arbitration at the Hague expected to be handed down in June.

"Should we win the arbitration and China doesn’t honor the ruling, I will not go to war," Duterte said. "I will ask the navy to bring me to the nearest boundary near Spratly Scarborough. I will take a jet ski, carrying the Philippine flag and I will go to China’s airport and then I will install it and say, This is ours and do what you want with me. It’s up to you. I would stake that claim."

‘Personal Aquarium’

Poe said the South China Sea was not China’s “personal aquarium,” adding that she would provide more boats to the Philippine Coast Guard, and radios to Filipino fishermen going into disputed waters, and would seek more international assistance in maintaining sovereignty.

All candidates also pledged in Sunday’s debate to introduce new laws to end the practice of labor outsourcing, or contractualization, and to extend greater assistance to Filipinos working overseas.

The latest poll which shows Duterte -- a self-confessed womanizer who minces no words about killing criminals -- extending his lead may rattle his rivals who have stuck to conventional campaign rhetoric and disapproved of his stance on women, fighting crime and managing international ties.

Economic Policy

Duterte performed poorly in a Bloomberg survey on which candidate would be the best to steer the Philippine economy after Aquino steps down. Roxas and Poe were viewed by the 10 economists surveyed as the most capable of delivering on their promises to lead the nation that’s been among the fastest growing in the world with a stock market that’s more than doubled since Aquino took office in 2010.

Last week Duterte, 71, who was first elected Davao mayor in 1988, dared the U.S. and Australia to sever diplomatic ties after ambassadors from both countries strongly condemned comments by Duterte on April 12 that an Australian missionary who was raped and murdered in a 1989 Davao City prison riot was so beautiful that, as mayor, he should have been first in line.

The mayor’s remarks were posted on YouTube and went viral on April 17, attracting front page coverage from many local dailies the next day. After first refusing to step back from the use of what he called “gutter language,’’ Duterte’s camp later issued an apology for the remarks.

Former Prosecutor

A lawyer who worked as a prosecutor in Davao for nine years before becoming vice mayor in 1986 and mayor two years later, Duterte made his reputation targeting drug traffickers and sexual predators in a broad crackdown on crime. At one point, he told criminals they had two options on how they could leave Davao: vertically or horizontally.

While Duterte was credited for transforming Davao, known as the nation’s murder capital in the 1980s, peace and order came at a cost. Human Rights Watch has accused Duterte of giving tacit support to extra judicial killings of more than 1,000 suspected criminals since the late 1990s. Duterte has denied any involvement in the killings.