Even though he is detained thousands of kilometres away, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is among the candidates vying for some 18,000 national and local seats in Monday’s midterm elections that analysts say will decide if he and his family continue to hold political power.
Duterte has been in custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague since March, awaiting trial for crimes against humanity over a brutal war on illegal drugs that left thousands of suspects dead during his presidency from 2016-2022. It has not stopped him from running for mayor of his southern Davao city stronghold.
Under Philippine law, candidates facing criminal charges, including those in detention, can run for office unless they have been convicted and have exhausted all appeals.
Duterte is widely expected to win as Davao mayor, a position he held for over two decades before becoming president. It is less clear how he can practically serve as mayor from behind bars.
More than 68 million Filipinos have registered to vote on Monday for half of the 24-member Senate, all the 317 seats in the House of Representatives and various positions in provinces, cities and municipalities. The spotlight is on the race for the Senate that could determine the political future of Duterte’s daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte.
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