Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 30th

The Philippine Daily Inquirer issue Thursday features an epic montage of Rodrigo "Rudy" Duterte with the headline "Have no fear, Rudy is here."

The controversial 71 year-old former prosecutor and Davao City mayor was sworn in Thursday as the 16th President of the Philippines, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. Taking the oath of office, Duterte declared that he would "preserve and protect" the constitution. The frugal ceremony was a break from the traditional grand reception, a nod to the austerity Duterte has vowed amid the country's endemic poverty.

Elected in May for a six-year term, the tough-talking leader has promised to combat crime and drug abuse problems within six months. Often compared to Donald Trump, Duterte's campaign speeches are often full of profanity and threats to kill criminals and drug dealers, actions that would not be in line with the Philippines constitution that he vowed to uphold.

Following his election, police launched an anti-drug crackdown, and the bodies of dozens of suspected dealers have turned up in recent weeks in gunfights or in mysterious circumstances. The killings provided a fearsome backdrop to Duterte"s rise. He has nonetheless tried to reassure the people by declaring that he knows "the limits of the power and authority of the president. I know what is legal and what is not."