Today I've decided to out myself - as the reporter who was asked by the President of the Philippines if I was married.

Among his many duties, Foreign Minister Murray McCully gets to rub shoulders with some fairly noxious individuals.

Philippine ambassador defends President Duterte's astonishing interview to the Herald, saying the president was ambushed.

In an exclusive interview with the Herald, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte twice confuses New Zealand with Australia ... and asked a reporter if she was married.

Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a banquet lunch be delivered to his Auckland hotel ahead of his expected departure later today.

"He's a tough guy but he was warm, courteous and actually quite charming," McCully told the Herald afterwards.

COMMENT: Philippines President's dog leg to New Zealand has seen a softly-softly approach.

The Philippines' president Rodrigo Duterte is set to make a pit stop in New Zealand on his way to the APEC summit.

Two leaders of a violent street gang were contracted to murder a debt collector, a murder trial has heard.

Anti-American sentiment that the Philippines' new president has whipped up for months has turned violent as a police van rammed a crowd of protesters.

Controversial President Rodrigo Duterte has already told Barack Obama to "go to hell". Now he has struck another blow against the US.

As Damien Berg was led out of his apartment in zip ties, he thought he would be shot. He opens up about escaping death

Tauranga job listings have seen a huge spike in the past three months and businesses are struggling to fill vacancies - with one employer

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been ruthless in his crackdown on suspected drug dealers in his country and now he has banned smoking.

Philippine President Duterte's state of mind is under scrutiny as the death toll in his war on drugs exceeds 3600.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte recently admitted what has been plain since he took office and the killings started: He's committing genocide.

Lawyers and activists in the Philippines fear that drug users who sign up to the government's amnesty end up on so-called "kill lists".

Since Rodrigo Duterte became president, at least 3,300 people have been killed.

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: The Philippines may bring back the death penalty just to execute a child molester, Australian Peter Scully.

They say actions speak louder than words and it's pretty hard to misinterpret what Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is conveying here.

The daughter of an aristocrat with criminal ties to Australia is the latest casualty of The Punisher's death squads.

Here's 'The Punisher' Rodrigo Duterte's right hand man. The Philippines' top cop, dubbed 'The Rock'. He's every bit as dangerous as the firebrand president.

A Waikato woman was arrested in October and accused of creating fake CVs so that Filipinos could work in New Zealand.

Eat My Lunch founder Lisa King on the nation of smiling, singing people that first sparked her sense of injustice in the world.

Find a fisherman to drop you off at a secluded beach, writes Mauricio Olmedo-Perez.

While the persona may have proved effective in the campaign, a real dictator, especially one with blood on his hands, is hardly what the Philippines needs.

Philippine President Duterte has effectively signed death warrants of up to 50 drug-dealing officials as the street execution toll soars to 600.

Eye-opening images reveal the daily life of 3,800 inmates serving time behind the crowded walls of a notorious prison built for just 800.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called on citizens to kill drug users and dealers. There have been horrific results. Warning: GRAPHIC IMAGES.

The vibrant capital of the Philippines has a rich history, and an exciting future.