Former Philippine President Wins Mayor Election From Prison

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won the mayoral election in his hometown by a landslide while in prison after being detained in the Netherlands by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity, the Associated Press reported. 

The Davao election board proclaimed Duterte the winner with 660,000 votes, eight times as many as his closest rival. 

Duterte’s youngest son and current Davao mayor, Sebastian Duterte, was declared vice mayor. His eldest son, Paolo Duterte, was reelected to the House of Representatives, while two grandsons won in local races, cementing the family’s influence in the south of the country, wrote the BBC. 

Duterte’s win came as his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, faces an impeachment trial in July in the Senate over charges including the misuse of public funds and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and the speaker of the House. 

Her trial in the Senate – the lower house already voted to impeach – could be impacted by the results of the election, analysts said.  

Considered a serious contender for the 2028 presidential race, Duterte risks being banned from politics if convicted. To acquit her, at least nine of the 24 senators need to vote in her favor. 

It was expected that candidates backed by Marcos Jr. would win most of the 12 seats in the Senate up for grabs. However, in early returns, only six are ahead, indicating that the president’s grip on power is slipping, analysts said. Meanwhile, at least five Duterte-backed candidates were leading in the Senate – exceeding pre-election predictions that only two would win. 

Confirmed results of the Senate race will be available in a week.  

According to Philippine law, candidates facing criminal charges, even those in detention, are eligible to run for office – unless they have been convicted and have exhausted all appeals. 

Sara Duterte said she was in talks with her father’s lawyers to discuss how he could take his oath as mayor from his cell in the Netherlands. She said the vice mayor would likely serve as interim mayor. 

Rodrigo Duterte was detained by the ICC in March and is awaiting trial for crimes against humanity for acts committed during his war on drugs, which saw thousands killed and thousands more arrested during his 2016-2022 presidency.