Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has won the Davao City mayoral election by a significant margin, securing over 663,000 votes—approximately eight times more than his nearest competitor. Despite being detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity related to his anti-drug campaign, Duterte’s name remained on the ballot, and he was legally allowed to run and win the election .(AP News, The Times)
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed that Duterte’s candidacy was valid, as there was no final conviction barring him from running. Comelec Chair George Garcia stated that a candidate can only be disqualified through a final judgment of conviction, and since Duterte had not been convicted at the time of the election, his name remained on the ballot .(Philstar)
In the event of Duterte’s victory, his son, Sebastian Duterte, who was elected vice mayor, is expected to assume the role of acting mayor until arrangements can be made for Rodrigo Duterte to take his oath of office. The Department of the Interior and Local Government will determine if Duterte can fulfill his duties while in detention .(AP News, Wikipedia)
This election result underscores the enduring political influence of the Duterte family in Davao City, highlighting their continued dominance in the region’s political landscape.(The Times)
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