Hundreds of Filipino marched to the Presidential palace on Friday to mark the first year of President Rodrigo Duterte in office and remind him of his pledges, as well as holding him accountable for what they called his crimes against the people.

Holding placards and banners such as "Stop killing the poor" and Lift martial law" they made their way through the capital.

Renato Reyes of the Patriotic Alliance group said they were concerned as the country was seeing little of the change that was promised a year ago.

It's been a remarkably turbulent first year for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whose war on drugs has left thousands of suspects dead and prompted critics to call his rule a "human rights calamity."

One accused him of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.

A former state prosecutor, Duterte denies condoning extrajudicial killings and remains popular with the masses who embrace his unorthodox leadership style, profanity-laced outbursts and draconian bent in an Asian bastion of democracy.

Last month, he declared martial law in the south to deal with an unprecedented siege by Islamic State group-aligned militants that continues to devastate Marawi city and alarm the rest of Southeast Asia.

"The human rights record is a very serious concern, it is a bloody mark on the report card of the President and the killings have to stop, martial law has to stop, the militarisation of communities in the country side have to stop" Reyes said.

Manila - 30 June 2017

1. Various of protesters marching to the Presidential palace

2. Protester holding placard reading (English) "Stop killing the poor"

3. Woman holding placard reading (English) "No to military generals in civilian posts"

4. Protesters holding placards reading (English) "Lift martial law now" and Stop fascist attacks against the FIlipino people."

5. Protest leader Renato Reyes addressing the crowd

6. Poster showing a 'report card' for Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, pan down to subjects and emoji marks

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Renato Reyes, protest leader:

"The first year of President Rodrigo Duterte is marked with the war in Marawi, martial law in the entire Mindanao, US intervention in a domestic conflict, a stalled peace talks (with the New People's Army) and a restive population because of the worsening economic crisis and we are very far from the change that was promised a year ago. "

8. Man holding placard reading (English) "Yes to peace talks! No to all out war!" pan down to another placard "martial law is not the answer! Peace based on justice is what we need!"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Renato Reyes, protest leader:

"The human rights record is a very serious concern, it is a bloody mark on the report card of the president and the killings have to stop, martial law has to stop, the militarisation of communities in the countryside have to stop."

10. Protesters holding placard reading (Tagalog) "First year of Digong (Duterte)" with angry and sad emoji faces symbols

A leadership row erupted in the Philippine House of Representatives on live TV Monday, delaying President Rodrigo Duterte's delivery of his annual state of the nation address and passage of crucial Muslim autonomy legislation aimed at ending one of Asia's longest Muslim rebellions.

The proposed deal is the latest significant attempt by the government to negotiate an end to nearly half a century of on-and-off Muslim fighting that has left more than 120,000 people dead and displaced about 2 million others.

In his State of the Nation Address before members of the Philippine Congress, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte promised that his administration, "will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to charter (their) own destiny within the constitutional framework of our country."

"Give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify the law," he added.

Aside from the Muslim autonomy pact, Duterte reaffirmed his resolve to fight illegal drugs.

He was also expected to introduce a draft constitution that would shift the country to a federal system of governance.

The moves, including opening the country's 1987 constitution to amendment, have been opposed by several groups and opposition politicians, who fear they are designed to prolong Duterte's rule and give him dictatorial powers.

Thousands of protesters rallied outside the House, where Duterte was to speak.

Duterte, who took office in 2016, has played down such fears, saying he is ready to step down as early as next year and cut short his six-year term before a new federal government is put in place.

Gloria Arroyo, a former president, tried to speak from the stage during the dramatic standoff that erupted in the Philippine House of Representatives on Monday but her microphone was turned off.

Arroyo, backed by dozens of allied legislators, took the main seat in the center stage of the House's plenary hall in a sign that she was taking over the post of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

She tried to yell, apparently to explain what was happening, but later stepped away from the stage, waving at the crowd.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Manila - 23 July 2018

1. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte walking towards podium

2. News conference hall

3. Cameramen

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President:

"Two years later, my solid commitment to directly and decisively address our nation's collective challenges remains. It has not wavered. In truth, it has even gotten stronger through adversity and the desire to give the people the most we can."

5. Audience listening to the president's speech

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President:

"The war against illegal drugs is far from over."

7. Wide of Senate President Vicente Sotto and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez listening to Duterte

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President:

"The illegal drugs war will not be sidelined. Instead, it will be as relentless and chilling, if you will, as of the day it began."

9. Wide of news conference

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President:

"Your concern is human rights. Mine is human lives."

11. Cutaway to cameramen filming at session hall

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President:

"One road leads to harmony and peace. The other, to war and human suffering."

11. Wide of Sotto and Alvarez listening to Duterte

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President:

"This administration will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to charter own destiny within the constitutional framework of our country. When the approved version is transmitted and received by my office, the law has been passed actually and I intend to – give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify them."

13. Pull out of protest

14. Wide of protesters holding their fists up

15. Protesters holding placards, reading (English): "#DefendDemocracy", "#NeverAgain" and "#StandForJustice."

16. Placard reading (English) "They'll make you DEAD or they'll make you POOR"

17. Protester in a mock "Deadpool" character costume lying on the ground holding a placard reading (English) "They'll make you DEAD or they'll make you POOR"

18. Various of an effigy of the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte being burned

19. SOUNDBITE (English): Renato Reyes, protest leader:

"We're quite happy with the results. A lot of people came - that goes to show that there is real interest in defending human rights, there's real interest in fighting for democracy. One insight that congress, it seems that they are fighting it out, trying to one up each other. Here outside, people are more united. So that's a very good thing."

20. Various of former Philippine president and current congress woman Gloria Arroya being sworn in

21. Arroyo waves to audience

22. Arroyo tests podium microphone