A Congressional panel of Philippine lawmakers on Monday found an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte lacked substance and should go no further, a widely expected outcome underlining the maverick leader's steadfast legislative support. Protesters staged a 'die-in' near the Presidential Palace to protest extrajudicial killings under Duterte's so-called war on drugs on May 8, 2017. He said the committee made a decision based purely on Duterte's popularity and would be responsible for a dictatorship taking shape. Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the junking of the complaint was expected because it was built on falsehoods and intended to "besmirch the reputation" of Duterte. Some political commentators say Alejano's impeachment effort had an ulterior motive: to strengthen a complaint filed by a lawyer last month with the International Criminal Court accusing Duterte of crimes against humanity.

Source: CBC News May 15, 2017 07:30 UTC