The Hague [Netherlands], May 13: Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has overwhelmingly won the Davao City mayoral race, despite being held in the International Criminal Court (ICC) prison in The Hague, Netherlands.
According to the results announced by the Philippine Local Election Commission on May 12, with more than 77% of the votes counted, Mr. Duterte won 635,948 votes, far surpassing his second-place opponent by 78,000 votes. The victory is a testament to the influence and popularity of this 80-year-old politician in Davao City , even though he is being detained at the ICC , according to AFP.
It is unclear how Mr Duterte will be sworn in as mayor. Vice President of the Philippines Sara Duterte , Mr Duterte's daughter, said the issue was being discussed by "ICC lawyers and Filipino lawyers".
"ICC lawyers and Philippine lawyers are discussing how to have Duterte sworn in as the winner of the Davao City mayoral election," Sara said, adding that they have until June 30 to do so.
In March, former President Duterte was arrested and taken to The Hague on charges related to his war on drugs during his time in power. Duterte is the first former leader of an Asian country to be subject to an arrest warrant filed by the ICC. Analysts say the arrest of the former Philippine president has only increased support for him and his family in Davao and elsewhere, according to ABC News.
Currently, the Philippines is entering the midterm elections amid a fierce power struggle between the Duterte family and the family of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. This election will not only shape the situation of the Philippine Congress and local governments in the next 3 years, but also create an important premise for the 2028 presidential election.
In particular, the results of the Philippine Senate elections will determine the political fate of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is considered a potential presidential candidate if she survives impeachment. In February, Sara Duterte was impeached for allegedly misusing public funds and threatening the life of President Marcos. If Sara Duterte is convicted by the Senate, she will lose the ability to run for president in 2028.
In this midterm election, former President Duterte's two sons and two grandchildren also ran for different positions.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
