Philippines Midterm Elections Yield Surprising Results

Philippine mid-term elections have yielded unexpected results, potentially shaking President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr's hold on the senate. Marcos' allies won fewer senate seats than expected, with only six out of 12 seats, while his rival Rodrigo Duterte's camp secured at least four seats. Duterte, who is detained in The Hague, won a mayoral election in his family's stronghold, and his allies performed well in the senate race. The results may impact the impeachment trial of Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who is facing a potential ban from politics. The election also saw a comeback for the Aquino family, a longtime Marcos nemesis, with two non-aligned candidates winning senate seats.

The Philippines awaits the official results of its midterm elections, in which former President Rodrigo Duterte, currently detained at The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity, is leading in the mayoral race for his hometown of Davao. Under Philippine law, candidates facing criminal charges can still run for office unless convicted and having exhausted all appeals. The elections saw over 68 million Filipinos voting for various national and local positions. The outcome is expected to determine the future of the Duterte family in politics, particularly Vice President Sara Duterte, who faces an impeachment trial in July. Other family members, including Duterte's son and grandsons, are also running in the elections. The voting process was marred by violence and logistical issues, with several people killed and injured in election-related incidents.

Davao city residents re-elected Rodrigo Duterte as mayor despite his detention at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he faces trial for crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs. Duterte led with 537,885 votes, far ahead of his closest rival, and his son Sebastian "Baste" Duterte won the vice-mayor race. Duterte's daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, stated that her father would serve as mayor in absentia, with the vice-mayor potentially taking up his duties.