<![CDATA[Philippines country profile]>
The Philippines is made up of more than 7,000 islands " only about 2,000 are inhabited. It was colonised by Spain for more than three centuries and named after a 16th-century Spanish king before being taken over by the US in 1898 and subsequent Japanese occupation from 1942-45. It became independent in 1946 after the second world war.
The Philippines is one of America's long-standing allies in the region by virtue of a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty. In 2014, both countries signed the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, a 10-year security allowing an increased US military presence in the Philippines to counter China's rising influence in the South China Sea.
Imelda Marcos looks at her famous shoe collection after formally opening the suburban Marikina Shoe Museum. Photo: AFP
Ferdinand Marcos was president of the Philippines from 1965-86 before being ousted by the "People Power" revolution and forced to flee into exile.
Marcos was democratically elected in 1965 and 1969 but declared martial law in 1972, citing alleged threats of communists insurgency, and ruled as a dictator before he was overthrown.
His regime became infamous for its corruption and human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture, forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
In 2004, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International named Marcos the second-most corrupt leader of all time, behind Indonesian dictator Suharto. The Marcoses and their cronies stole up to US$10 billion from the Philippine Treasury during his rule, according to government investigators and historians.
His wife, Imelda Marcos, was renowned for her extravagance. She amassed a vast collection of art, jewellery, property and at least 1,000 pairs of shoes, many of which are now displayed in museums.
She was once quoted as saying: "We practically own everything in the Philippines, from electricity, telecommunications, airlines, banking, beer and tobacco, newspaper publishing, television stations, shipping, oil and mining, hotels and beach resorts, down to coconut milling, small farms, real estate and insurance."
Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989. Imelda and her children, however, returned from exile in 1991 and once more became influential in Philippine politics. Imelda ran for president twice and was elected to three terms in congress. Her son, Bongbong Marcos, was also a governor, congressman and senator at various stages and ran for the vice-presidency in 2016.
A Philippine policeman during a drug raid in Quezon City. Photo: Reuters
Rodrigo Duterte ran for president in 2016 promising brutal purge of suspected drug dealers. Upon his election, he followed through on his campaign pledge, launching a crackdown that has resulted in thousands of casualties.
The official death toll of the controversial anti-narcotics campaign surpassed 5,000 last year, according to Philippine authorities. However, human rights watchdogs claim the true figure is more than 20,000. Despite international pressure to stop the extrajudicial killings, Duterte has vowed to continue the "war on drugs" until his term ends in 2022.
Early in his term, he urged Filipinos to take the law into their own hands, saying: "If they are there in your neighbourhood, feel free to call us, the police or do it yourself if you have the gun. You have my support. If he fights and fights to the death, you can kill him. I will give you a medal."
The Duterte administration has also suppressed press freedom in the country to silence critics of the government's policies and claims.
Acclaimed Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, co-founder and executive editor of online news outlet Rappler, was arrested a second time in March. Ressa and six other current and former Rappler associates were charged with violating laws regarding foreign ownership of the company. She was first arrested in February on an internet libel charge.
Ressa is one of the most outspoken critics of Duterte, and her persecution has sparked international allegations that the charges against her and Rappler are politically motivated. Last year, the Philippine government temporarily revoked Rappler's operating licence and charged the company with tax evasion.
Confronting Islamic militancy
Fighting between the Philippine government and Islamic militants has escalated in recent years, as the rise of Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East emboldened sympathisers in Southeast Asia.
The country's largest Muslim separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), began fighting the government in the 1970s, in one of Asia's longest-running conflicts. A peace deal was signed in 2014, granting MILF self-rule in exchange for dropping their demand for full independence on the southern island of Mindanao.
Likewise, the Philippine government has been fighting guerilla militants from Abu Sayyaf since the 1990s. In 2014, Abu Sayyaf leadership pledged allegiance to IS raising concerns about the group's ability to establish regional franchises in Southeast Asia and the threat of jihadists returning home after fighting in the Middle East.
In May 2017, Philippine forces launched an offensive in the southern city of Marawi to capture Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon. However, Abu Sayyaf militants and local fighters from the Maute group fought back and overran Marawi. The militant leaders were eventually killed by Philippine forces but the five-month siege devastated the city.
"In crushing thus far the most serious attempt to export violent extremism and radicalism in the Philippines and in the region, we have contributed to preventing its spread in Asia," Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in October 2017.
The authorities said 920 militants, 165 troops and police and at least 45 civilians were killed in the conflict, which forced more than 300,000 people to flee the city. The government estimated the rebuilding of the heart of Marawi could cost more than US$1 billion.
Relations with China
The Philippines is one of several countries, which has staked a territorial claim overlapping with Chinese claims in the South China Sea. Under the administration of former president Benigno Aquino, the Philippine government appealed to The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) after accusing China of violating its sovereignty.
In July 2016, the PCA ruled in favour of the Philippines and invalidated China's "nine-dash line" claims, which cover most of the disputed waters. But Beijing rejected the United Nations-backed tribunal's decision, saying the court has no jurisdiction over the case.
Bilateral ties between China and the Philippines have warmed considerably since Duterte took office.
Duterte has been enraged by US criticism over his signature drug war and has welcomed Chinese investment to help fund its ambitious US$180 billion "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure project.
China pledged US$930 million in investments in the Philippines last year, making it the country's top foreign investor.
Furthermore, 19 business agreements expected to bring in US$12.165 in investments and trade were signed during Duterte's recent visit to China for the Belt and Road Forum.
The US, in turn, has ramped up its freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea to deter Beijing's military expansion and island-building in the disputed waters.
In March, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo affirmed Washington's military commitment to defend the Philippines in the event of an "armed attack" on its vessels or aircraft in the South China Sea, as provided under the two countries' mutual defence treaty.
Population: 104.9 million
Capital: Manila
Area: 300,000 sq km
Official language: Filipino and English
Currency: Philippine peso
GDP: US$313.58 billion
1521 " The Philippines is colonised by Spain
1898 " Spain cedes sovereignty of the Philippines to the US
1946 " The Philippines gains independence
1965 " Ferdinand Marcos is elected president; he imposes martial law in 1972
1986 " The Marcos regime is overthrown by the "People Power" revolution
2001 " President Joseph Estrada is impeached on corruption charges. He is the first Philippine president ever removed from office
2016 " President Rodrigo Duterte declares a "war on drugs" after assuming office
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Copyright (c) 2019. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
