Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been re-elected as mayor of Davao City, despite the fact that the politician is in prison in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.
This is reported by The Guardian.
The May 12 midterm elections took place against the backdrop of a fierce power struggle between the Duterte family and the clan of incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the media reported.
With more than 60% of the votes counted, 80-year-old Duterte has an insurmountable lead of 405,000 votes, significantly ahead of his closest rival, who received only 49,000. These are unofficial figures from the election commission, published by local media.
The former president was arrested and sent to The Hague in March for his so-called war on drugs, which has killed thousands of people. The victims were mostly young men from poor neighborhoods, shot in the streets. Duterteʼs children and grandchildren have accused the state of kidnapping a relative. He has taken responsibility for his own policies.
Despite international outrage over the killings, Rodrigo Duterte, known for his tough rhetoric and "common man" image, has remained popular throughout his presidency. His arrest has sparked a wave of defiance and sympathy among supporters.
On the politicianʼs 80th birthday, tens of thousands of people gathered in Davao and other cities across the country, lighting candles and singing. The election campaign was built largely on calls to return Duterte to his homeland.
“He is the best president we have ever had. He is an idol for people like me because he cared about us and was not afraid to fight the drugs that have taken over our streets,” said a 47-year-old civil servant from Taguig City, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
It is not yet clear how Duterte will be able to take the oath of office to officially take office as mayor. His daughter, Sara Duterte, who was removed from her position as vice president, says the issue is already being discussed by the former presidentʼs lawyers at the International Criminal Court and Philippine lawyers.
It is expected that since the former head of state is in custody in the Netherlands, the vice mayor will assume the mayorʼs duties. His son Sebastian was also leading in this race.
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