Ex-Pres Duterte Wins Davao Mayoral Race in a Landslide
Former president Rodrigo Duterte leads by a huge margin in Davao elections despite ICC detention
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is set to return to his longtime political stronghold as Davao City mayor, winning by a landslide despite being detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
With 99.50% of votes counted in Davao City, Duterte secured 659,557 votes, massively outpacing his closest opponent, Karlo Alexei Nograles, who garnered just 80,426 votes.
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The former president, who was arrested in March on ICC charges over his bloody war on drugs, is currently detained in the Netherlands. While his loyalists showed up at the polls, others have been quick to ridicule his return to power — calling his new role “WFH” not as Work From Home, but Work From the Hague, taking jabs at the irony of a mayor leading a city while behind bars in a foreign court.
Support remains strong despite ICC case
Duterte, 80, still holds massive influence in Davao. He earned his reputation as a tough-on-crime mayor before becoming president in 2016.
The ICC accuses Duterte of murder as a crime against humanity, citing thousands of drug-related killings during his term. His legal team argues that his arrest is unlawful, while the ICC maintains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed before the Philippines withdrew from the court in 2019.
“Punisher” and his sons sweep Davao polls
Duterte’s victory comes as part of a broader show of political force by the Duterte family. His son, Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, won the vice mayoral seat with 648,344 votes, far ahead of second-placer Bernie Al-ag, who received only 78,486 votes. Another son was also reelected as congressman.
Analysts say Duterte’s arrest only strengthened his support in Davao and could play a key role in future political moves, especially as Vice President Sara Duterte, his daughter, faces impeachment charges that could end her political career.
What happens next?
Despite being in detention, plans are being made for Duterte to take his oath of office. According to Vice President Sara, the legal team is awaiting proclamation papers before discussing how and where her father can be sworn in.
If confirmed, Duterte could become the first Asian ex-head of state to serve as a public official while held by the ICC.
This article was previously published on UAE Moments. To see the original article, click here