International Organization Names Duterte One of the World’s Most Corrupt Leaders

When Rodrigo Duterte swept into power in 2016, he promised Filipinos a government that would be free from corruption, crime, and drugs. Instead, his tenure was riddled with scandal after scandal, revealing an administration that prioritized personal gain, protected cronies, and sold out the country to foreign interests. Duterte’s inclusion in the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project’s (OCCRP) list of the Most Corrupt Leaders is not just deserved—it is long overdue.

Duterte: The Most Corrupt Person of the Year

In 2017, former President Rodrigo Duterte was named the ‘Most Corrupt Person of the Year’ by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), an investigative journalism organization dedicated to exposing corruption and organized crime worldwide. Duterte was held responsible for more than 1,000 extrajudicial killings, countless human rights violations, and a governance style that fostered lawlessness and impunity. His brutal war on drugs, which disproportionately targeted the poor, was internationally condemned for its inhumane tactics and lack of due process.

The OCCRP’s ‘Person of the Year’ award highlights individuals—often politicians—who have done the most to “wreak havoc” on democracy, justice, and global stability through corruption, criminal enterprises, and authoritarian rule. The award, established in 2012, serves to promote accountability by shedding light on corrupt individuals and their networks, ensuring that their actions do not go unchallenged. Past recipients have included dictators, oligarchs, and crime bosses, all of whom left a legacy of destruction in their wake.

Duterte’s recognition as the most corrupt leader was not just about his failure to uphold justice—it was a reflection of his administration’s deep entanglement in state-sanctioned killings, cover-ups, illegal deals, and abuse of power. His systematic erosion of democratic institutions, attacks on the press, and promotion of cronyism and corruption cemented his status as one of the world’s most dangerous and deceitful leaders.

1. Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation Scandal (₱8.68 billion)

• The biggest corruption scandal of the Duterte administration involved awarding ₱8.68 billion ($170 million) in contracts to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, a newly created company with only ₱625,000 in paid-up capital.
• The company overpriced face masks, face shields, and COVID-19 test kits, while Filipino healthcare workers lacked proper equipment.
• Duterte blocked Senate investigations and ordered government agencies not to cooperate, further fueling suspicions of high-level involvement.
• Fiscal Impact: Over ₱8.68 billion in taxpayer money wasted.

2. 6.4 Billion Peso Shabu Smuggling (₱6.4 billion)

• A shipment containing ₱6.4 billion worth of methamphetamine (shabu) was smuggled into the Philippines from China in 2017.
• The drugs passed through the Bureau of Customs (BOC), led by Duterte’s appointee Nicanor Faeldon, raising suspicions of government collusion.
• Despite Duterte’s “war on drugs”, high-profile drug smugglers walked free, while poor Filipinos were killed in police raids.
• Fiscal Impact: Billions lost in illegal drug trade while government funds were misused for ineffective enforcement.

3. The POGO Scandal – Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (Unknown Billions)

• Duterte allowed illegal Chinese gambling syndicates to operate in the Philippines through POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators).
• POGOs were linked to money laundering, human trafficking, cybercrime, prostitution rings, and even kidnappings.
• Despite calls for regulation, Duterte protected these operations, likely due to deep connections with Chinese businessmen like Michael Yang.
• Fiscal Impact: Billions in unpaid taxes, illegal financial transactions, and economic crime.

4. Misuse of COVID-19 Pandemic Funds (₱67 billion)

• The Commission on Audit (COA) flagged ₱67 billion ($1.3 billion) of pandemic response funds as being improperly spent or missing.
• Overpriced personal protective equipment (PPEs), ghost beneficiaries, and unnecessary procurements led to enormous losses.
• Instead of addressing corruption, Duterte attacked COA, accusing them of “causing public panic” by exposing the anomalies.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱67 billion ($1.3 billion) of taxpayer money wasted.

5. Rice Smuggling Crisis & Importation Scandals (₱33 billion in rice losses)

• Duterte’s economic policies on rice imports allowed large-scale smuggling to thrive.
• The National Food Authority (NFA) was implicated in selling rice at artificially low prices to favored importers.
• The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) led to ₱33 billion in losses for Filipino farmers, forcing local rice industries to collapse.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱33 billion ($600 million) in agricultural losses, plus untaxed smuggled rice.

6. The Malampaya Fund Corruption (₱900 million)

• Royalties from the Malampaya Gas Project (meant for national energy programs) were misused in bogus projects and dubious transactions.
• About ₱900 million ($18 million) vanished in questionable deals.
• Duterte’s administration refused to investigate and hold officials accountable, suggesting cover-ups.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱900 million in misallocated government funds.

7. The Alleged Multi-Billion-Peso Wealth of Duterte and Family

• Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused Duterte of hiding ₱2.2 billion ($40 million) in undisclosed bank accounts.
• Duterte and his family failed to declare assets while accumulating lavish properties and wealth.
• Despite calls for transparency, Duterte refused to sign a waiver on his bank accounts.
• Fiscal Impact: Potential billions in undeclared, unexplained wealth.

8. The Ghost Infrastructure Projects & Build, Build, Build Failures (Unknown Billions)

• Many of Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” projects were either unfinished, overpriced, or riddled with irregularities.
• The Kaliwa Dam Project and Chico River Pump Irrigation Project involved suspicious loan terms favoring Chinese contractors.
• The Subic-Clark Railway and Mindanao Railway were delayed for years due to mismanagement.
• Fiscal Impact: Unknown, but likely billions in unfinished or overpriced projects.

9. The “Tokhang for Ransom” Police Scandal

• Police officers under Duterte’s war on drugs were caught kidnapping and extorting money from wealthy individuals.
• Many Chinese businessmen and local politicians were targeted, forced to pay millions to corrupt police officials.
• This scandal undermined the legitimacy of Duterte’s “anti-crime” platform.
• Fiscal Impact: Millions in illegal police extortions.

10. Overpriced Face Shields & Medical Supplies (₱1.4 billion)

• The government overpriced face shields by up to 1000%, forcing Filipinos to buy unnecessary and costly protective gear.
• Some hospitals and frontliners received fake or defective PPEs, endangering public health.
• The Department of Health (DOH) allocated ₱1.4 billion ($28 million) to these suspicious deals.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱1.4 billion lost in public funds.

11. The Budget “Insertion” Scandals (₱75 billion)

• Duterte’s budget proposals contained unexplained insertions worth ₱75 billion in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget.
• These funds were allocated without clear project details, raising suspicions of ghost projects.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱75 billion ($1.5 billion) in questionable allocations.

12. The Overpriced SEA Games 2019 Cauldron (₱50 million)

• A single cauldron for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games was overpriced at ₱50 million ($1 million).
• Critics questioned why a simple torch cost the same as dozens of classrooms or healthcare facilities.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱50 million wasted on a single, unnecessary monument.

13. The NTF-ELCAC’s Red-Tagging and Fund Misuse (₱19 billion)

• The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) was given ₱19 billion to fund “anti-insurgency” programs.
• The money was spent on propaganda, political harassment, and red-tagging activists instead of actual development.
• Fiscal Impact: ₱19 billion ($380 million) misused for political repression.

14. The Alleged Bribery of Congressmen (₱1.5 million per vote)

• Duterte was accused of bribing congressmen ₱1.5 million each to vote for the death penalty and other controversial bills.
• Fiscal Impact: Potential millions in public money used for political maneuvering.

Total Estimated Fiscal Impact of Duterte’s Corruption:

While exact figures remain unclear, estimates suggest that Duterte’s corruption scandals drained hundreds of billions of pesos from the economy, with over ₱200 billion ($4 billion) directly linked to questionable deals.

The Pharmally Scandal: A Billion-Peso Heist

Duterte’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was not just incompetent; it was criminal. The Pharmally scandal was a blatant act of corruption, involving the purchase of overpriced medical supplies from an undercapitalized company run by Duterte’s allies. The Duterte administration funneled ₱11 billion to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, despite the company having only ₱625,000 in capital. Documents revealed that key figures in Pharmally had close ties to Duterte’s former economic adviser, Michael Yang, a known Chinese businessman who had direct access to the President.

Not only did this scandal result in massive losses for taxpayers, but it also meant that Filipinos received substandard and overpriced protective gear while healthcare workers suffered from shortages. Duterte personally obstructed Senate investigations, ordering government officials to ignore subpoenas and even attempting to use military and police intimidation to prevent further scrutiny.

6.4 Billion Peso Shabu Smuggling: Protecting Drug Lords While Waging a Fake Drug War

Duterte’s so-called war on drugs was nothing but a bloodbath targeting the poor while allowing drug syndicates to operate freely under his watch. In 2017, the 6.4 billion peso shabu shipment from China was smuggled into the Philippines under the Duterte administration’s noses. The drugs entered the country through the Bureau of Customs, which was led by Duterte’s own appointee, Nicanor Faeldon. While thousands of small-time drug suspects were murdered in extrajudicial killings, those responsible for the massive drug shipment faced no real consequences. Duterte’s allies ensured that investigations were deflected and that the mastermind behind the smuggling operation walked free.

How could a President who claimed to be tough on drugs allow such an enormous amount of illegal substances to enter the country? The answer is simple: Duterte’s drug war was never about eradicating drugs—it was about consolidating power, eliminating rivals, and keeping the public distracted from the real criminals in government.

Chinese Loans: Selling the Philippines to Beijing

Duterte’s pivot to China was not about diplomacy or strategy—it was about personal gain. His administration aggressively pursued lopsided loan deals with China, burdening the country with debt while giving China control over critical national infrastructure.

Projects such as the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project and the Kaliwa Dam Project were backed by loans from China that contained dangerous sovereignty-waiving provisions, allowing China to seize Philippine assets in case of non-payment. These deals were not only overpriced but also came with stringent conditions that heavily favored Beijing. Despite public backlash, Duterte dismissed concerns and continued to cozy up to Chinese officials, securing investments that benefited his allies and family members rather than the Filipino people.

The POGO Scandal: Enriching China at the Expense of Filipinos

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), heavily dominated by Chinese nationals, flourished under Duterte’s administration. Instead of cracking down on illegal Chinese gambling syndicates, Duterte protected them. Despite overwhelming evidence of human trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime, POGOs continued to operate freely with Duterte’s blessing. Even when law enforcement officials revealed that these gambling hubs were being used to facilitate cybercrimes and prostitution rings, Duterte turned a blind eye.

This protectionist stance was no accident. Duterte’s former economic adviser, Michael Yang, had deep business ties with Chinese POGO operators. As long as the money flowed into the pockets of his cronies, Duterte ignored the national security implications and the devastating impact of POGOs on Philippine communities.

Why Duterte Must Never Be Allowed Back in Power

Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency was one of lies, deception, and unparalleled corruption. His iron-fisted rule was never about justice but about power, greed, and impunity. Now, as he and his family attempt to claw their way back into political dominance, Filipinos must remain vigilant.

His inclusion in the OCCRP’s Most Corrupt Leaders list should serve as a wake-up call to those still blinded by his rhetoric. Duterte’s legacy is one of murdered innocents, plundered resources, and a nation weakened by foreign debt and crime. The Philippines deserves better.

We must ensure that Duterte and his ilk never return to power. It is time to hold him accountable for the crimes he committed against the country. Justice will not be served until he and his cronies face the full force of the law.

The Filipino people must reject Duterte and his corrupt dynasty once and for all. Our future depends on it.