PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has landed in the 70th spot of Forbes Magazine’s Most Powerful People of 2016.
Duterte, the magazine said, has a “tendency to say what he thinks, no matter how raw,” a trait that “keeps him in the headlines.”
Forbes cited his election to the Philippine presidency “on the strength of a campaign that promised the swift execution of drug users and other criminals.” The magazine also mentioned his ongoing bloody war on crime and drugs that has already resulted in thousands of deaths since he took office in June.
The magazine took note of Duterte’s “rather colorful speech”—including calling the Pope a “son of a whore,” threatening to leave the UN over “stupid” criticism, calling a US ambassador to the Philippines “gay,” calling US President Barack Obama a “son of a whore,” and comparing himself to Adolf Hitler.
A total of 74 people are on this year’s list, representing one person per 100-million people. Duterte is ranked number 70, and among the 11 new names on the list.
Duterte joins the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has topped the list for the last four years, and US President-elect Donald Trump, who rose to second place in 2016 from 72nd place last year.
Malacañang welcomed Duterte’s inclusion to the list, noting his huge influence “to promote the well-being of the people.”
“President Rodrigo Duterte was a reluctant presidential candidate who won the May 2016 elections by a landslide. As President, he has used the immense powers vested in him by the Constitution with utmost responsibility to promote the well-being of the people,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.
“Much has been done in the first six months and much more will be done in the succeeding months and years. After all, the President’s heart is in the right place, and he has only the interests of the Filipino people and the nation in his mind first and foremost,” he added.
