Duterte fans, foes in mass Manila rallies

MANILA: Thousands of supporters and foes of President Rodrigo Duterte joined large rallies in Manila on Saturday, highlighting how his brutal drug war has polarised the Philippines.

A prayer rally for Duterte’s eight months-long anti-narcotics crackdown drew the biggest turnout, estimated by police at up to 200,000 although AFP reporters said it looked a lot less.

"Your presence here showcases the strong support that your president continues to enjoy," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told the crowd at the prayer rally, who lit candles and sang religious songs. The 71-year-old president, who spent the weekend in his southern home city of Davao, won the election last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people.