Philippine elections: Dutertes sweep Davao races, what it means

Manila: Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte just pulled off what might be the most dramatic political comeback of the year — winning the Davao mayoral race in a landslide, all while sitting in detention at The Hague

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently holding him over his infamous "war on drugs".

Competition crushed

He turned his mayoral bid into a full-on homecoming rally and the election a full-family affair.

Duterte garnered over 662,000 votes, an eight-fold edge over 80,000 for his closest rival, Karlo Nograles, who once served in his Cabinet.

All told, five members of the Duterte family were proclaimed winners by the board of canvassers in their respective races in Davao City on Tuesday, May 13.

Family affair

#1. The former president has secured his 8th victory in the mayoral race, though he may not be able to serve, since he is under ICC custody.

#2. His son Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, also won, and will likely be the acting mayor in his absence.

#3. Representative Paolo Duterte (incumbent Davao City 1st District) has secured his third and last term.

#4. Omar Vincent Duterte (Paolo’s son) has also been elected 2nd District Representative

#5. Rodrigo II (also Paolo's son and ounger brother of Omar Vincent), topped the local council race in the 1st District.

As the Davao election board has made it official, and chants of “Duterte! Duterte!” echoed through the city like it was 2016 all over again.

Even Duterte’s daughter Veronica took to Facebook to post: “Duterte landslide in Davao!”

Davao dynasty

But that’s not all — the Duterte dynasty didn’t just stop in Davao. At least five Senate hopefuls backed by the family were leading in the national midterm race — a big jump from what pre-election polls predicted.

Looks like the family’s political machine is running better than ever.

That’s great news for Vice President Sara Duterte — who’s not only watching her family’s political stock soar, but is also gearing up for a fight of her own.

She’s facing a make-or-break impeachment trial in July, with charges ranging from fund misuse to — buckle up — allegedly plotting to take down President Marcos Jr., his wife, and the House speaker. Yikes.

Sara, widely seen as a frontrunner for the 2028 presidency, needs nine out of 24 senators to vote in her favour to stay in power.

Senate support

And with five loyalists possibly sliding into Senate seats, the math just got interesting.

Political analyst Jean Franco from University of the Philippines weighed in: The Senate numbers look promising for Sara — but if evidence surfaces in the trial, it's anyone's guess which way will the Senate decide.

Interestingly, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, also currently in jail, has not made it to the Magic 12 in the Senate.

Meanwhile, President Marcos, whose popularity dipped in April, tried to strike a presidential tone in his post-election statement: “Our democracy has renewed itself — peacefully, orderly and with dignity.”

Back to Duterte Sr. — the 80-year-old former president is now on track to become the first Asian ex-head of state to face trial at the ICC.

Arrested in March on charges of crimes against humanity tied to thousands of drug war killings, Duterte’s detention sparked outrage among supporters who dubbed it a “foreign court kidnapping.”

Yet in Davao, he remains “Tatay D,” the ever-loved Punisher. Social media blew up with messages like, “Bring him home!” and “Congratulations, Tatay D!” One supporter posted: “He may be in jail, but Davao’s heart never left him.”

The ICC isn’t just focused on his presidential years.

It’s also looking into allegations of a “death squad” back when he was mayor — which he occasionally denies, or sometimes admits.

Oddly enough, his arrest seems to have only supercharged his fanbase.

So what’s next?

Sara says plans are already in motion to have her dad sworn in, despite his current Hague hangout.

“Once we get the proclamation papers, we’ll work out the oath-taking,” she said.

In Philippine politics, perception is real, the truth is not.

And the Dutertes? They’re writing the next chapter — one landslide, one courtroom, and one family seat at a time.