Who Is Rodrigo Duterte?

Lawyer and politician Rodrigo Duterte served seven terms as mayor of Davao City in the Philippines. In 2016, he became the 16th president of the Philippines.
Rodrigo Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin, Southern Leyte, Philippines. The son of a regional governor, he graduated from law school in 1972 and joined the City Prosecution Office of Davao City. Duterte became Davao City mayor in 1988, and was reelected six times after forging a reputation for being tough on crime. He earned a decisive victory in his country's 2016 presidential election, but soon drew criticism for his support of extrajudicial killings and threats to cut diplomatic ties with the U.S.