Rodrigo Duterte’s revolution, at least so far, looks like nothing more than a reshuffling of the country’s political elite. The election seems to mark a period of continuity, not progressive change, in Philippine politics.

One of Duterte’s most popular platform planks was his promise to steer the country toward a “federal-parliamentary” system. He has already begun forming a parliament by appointment, assembling a cabinet consisting of an unwieldy coalition of his former fraternity brothers, rabid military hawks, businessmen with clear conflicts of interest, neoliberal technocrats, and allies close to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

His presidential spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, was defense lawyer for the notorious Andal Ampatuan Sr — widely believed to be responsible for the 2008 Maguindanao massacre, the worst mass killing of journalists anywhere in recent history. In response to those who objected, Duterte says simply, “mere association does not make you a criminal”.