Could President Rodrigo Duterte really be more influential than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and our fave super girl Beyoncé? Possibly, at least according to an online poll.
The tough-talking Filipino president has taken an early lead in Time magazines’s annual poll featuring the most influential people in the world.
President Duterte has gained international spotlight with his controversial war against drugs, which has seen thousands suspected users killed. He also made the world look with his profanity-laced statements about the Church and other international leaders.
As of Monday morning, Duterte is on the top spot. Right behind him are Pope Francis, Mark Zuckerberg, Vladimir Putin, Justin Trudeau, Bill Gates and Emma Watson.
Others on the shortlist are German Chancellor Angela Merkel, performer Lady Gaga, US Senator Bernie Sanders, gymnast Simone Biles.
Time editors will eventually choose who are the ones who will make it to the list, but they want the readers to participate in the voting process.
The voting will close on Apr 16, and the list will be officially released on Apr 20.
Duterte was also included in Forbes Most Powerful People in December last year. He ranked 70th out of 74 people.
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