Philippine president to deliver state-of-the-nation speech amid protests

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is to deliver a state-of-the-nation speech after his first year in office, which saw him allow an expanded U.S. military presence and refuse to rejoin the International Criminal Court in a decision that favored his predecessor, whose bloody anti-drugs crackdown was under an ICC investigation. Marcos, 65, rose to power in June last year in a landslide victory. His father was ousted as a dictator accused of widespread human rights violations and plunder in a 1986 pro-democracy uprising. More than 20,000 police officers and other security enforcers were deployed Monday to deal with rallies outside the House of Representatives, where Marcos was to deliver his speech before a joint session of Congress.