"Donald Trump of East" Rodrigo Duterte sworn in as Philippines president

Manila, June 30: Some call him "Donald Trump of the East", some even say he is worse than Trump. But whatever it is, Rodrigo Duterte has been sworn in as the president of Philippines in the wake of his landslide victory in May. [Several hundreds killed in crackdown against drug suspects in Manila]

Duterte, 71, is a controversial former mayor of Davao City which was once called the "Murder capital" of the archipelago.

Duterte, who fought the election promising to uproot government corruption and also take a strong stand on crime, including reintroducing the death penalty.

Duterte also chose to take oath in front of a small audience of 600 people in the Malacanang Palace in Manila and not at any rally. Only the state media was allowed to attend the event.

The veteran leader said in his inaugural address that he aims to curb the "erosion of the people's trust" and reinstating that his fight against crime will be relentless.

The leader, a lawyer and former prosecutor who is also called "The Punisher", said he is aware of the limits of the president's power and authority.

He said he also knows that many people don't approve of his methods to fight criminality and call them unorthodox and even verge on the illegal but added that his respect for the due process of law is uncompromising. He asked people to mind their own work and he would mind his own.

He also promised to honour international agreements and respect peace instruments agreed with rebels at home.

Oneindia News