Detained ex-President Duterte is among the candidates in Philippines midterms

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is seen connected a surface successful the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) successful The Hague, Netherlands, March 14, 2025. Peter Dejong/AP hide caption

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Peter Dejong/AP

MANILA, Philippines — Even though helium is detained successful The Hague, erstwhile Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is among the candidates vying for immoderate 18,000 nationalist and section seats successful Monday's midterm elections that analysts accidental volition determine if helium and his household proceed to clasp governmental power.

Duterte has been successful custody of the International Criminal Court since March, awaiting proceedings for crimes against humanity implicit a brutal warfare connected amerciable drugs that has near thousands of suspects dormant during his presidency 2016-2022. It hasn't stopped him from moving for politician of his confederate Davao metropolis stronghold.

Under Philippine law, candidates facing transgression charges, including those successful detention, tin tally for bureau unless they person been convicted and person exhausted each appeals.

Duterte is wide expected to triumph arsenic Davao mayor, a presumption helium held for implicit 2 decades earlier becoming president. It's little wide however helium tin practically service arsenic politician from down bars.

Over 68 cardinal Filipinos person registered to ballot Monday for fractional of the 24-member Senate, each the 317 seats successful the House of Representatives and assorted positions successful provinces, cities and municipalities. The spotlight is connected the contention for the Senate that could find the governmental aboriginal of Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

She faces an impeachment proceedings successful the Senate successful July implicit accusations of plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and corruption involving her office's quality funds. She has denied the allegations, saying they were dispersed by her governmental opponents to destruct her.

Sara Duterte is considered a beardown contender for the 2028 statesmanlike race. But if convicted by the Senate, she volition beryllium removed arsenic vice president and disqualified from holding nationalist office. To beryllium acquitted, she needs astatine slightest 9 of 24 senators to ballot successful her favor.

"The 2025 midterm elections volition beryllium crucial, due to the fact that the results volition acceptable the gait for what volition hap next, which household oregon faction volition predominate the elections successful 2028," said Maria Ela Atienza, a governmental subject prof astatine the University of the Philippines.

If Sara Duterte is convicted successful the impeachment trial, it could awesome the extremity of the Duterte household holding cardinal positions successful the country, she said. Other household members moving successful the predetermination see Rodrigo Duterte's youngest son, Sebastian, the incumbent politician of Davao who is present moving for vice mayor. His eldest lad Paolo is seeking reelection arsenic a subordinate of the House of Representatives. Two grandsons are besides moving successful section races.

The impeachment and Rodrigo Duterte's apprehension and transportation to the tribunal successful The Hague came aft Marcos and Sara Duterte's ties unraveled implicit governmental differences and their competing ambitions.

"This predetermination volition determine the aboriginal of our country," Sara Duterte said successful a rally successful Manila past week, wherever she campaigned for the family-backed senatorial candidates and criticized the Marcos administration. "Your ballot volition determine if we tin proceed reforms oregon proceed to descent to our doom."

Her father's spiritual advisor and adjacent governmental ally, televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, is besides moving for a Senate spot contempt being detained connected charges of intersexual maltreatment and quality trafficking. He is besides wanted successful the U.S. connected akin charges.

The ballot volition past until 7 p.m. Monday. Some voters complained their names were missing from the database of voters successful their precinct, portion others grumbled astir the agelong queue amid the stifling heat.

Voter Reymark Marquez said the Marcos-Duterte squad that won successful 2022 failed to present connected promises. He said the midterm elections are "beyond Duterte versus Marcos but astir choosing the close leaders."

"I deliberation what is astatine involvement successful this predetermination is the aboriginal of the adjacent generation," Diana Joy Acosta, a 32-year-old caller mother, said aft casting her ballot successful a schoolhouse successful metropolitan Manila's Mandaluyong City. For her baby's future, she hopes for an extremity to corruption and the predetermination of politicians with integrity.