Philippine elections stun world: Rodrigo Duterte wins from Hague jail cell

Philippine election results made public, Monday, May 12, 2025, came as a shock for many, as despite currently being imprisoned in The Hague, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been re-elected as mayor of Davao City.

Duterte is being imprisoned on accusations of crimes against humanity.

Davao City is a longtime stronghold of his family.

According to unofficial figures released by the election commission and reported by local media, Duterte, who is now 80 years old, had secured a significant and unassailable lead.

With over 60% of the votes counted, he was ahead by 405,000 votes, vastly outpacing his closest rival, who had only received about 49,000 votes.

The former president was taken into custody in March and transported to The Hague due to his controversial anti-drug campaign.

This initiative, which Duterte led during his term, resulted in the deaths of thousands.

Many of the victims being young men from impoverished urban areas, were reportedly often killed on the streets.

Although the campaign triggered condemnation worldwide due to its brutality and scale, Duterte retained widespread popularity while in office.

Known for his blunt, populist rhetoric and a persona that resonated with the common Filipino, his arrest has only strengthened the loyalty and emotion among his supporters.

In the lead-up to the country’s midterm elections on Monday, this sentiment was especially evident.

His imprisonment had become a focal point amid a fierce political rivalry between the Duterte clan and the family of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

On Duterte’s 80th birthday in March, a massive crowd of supporters gathered in Davao.

Tens of thousands lit candles and sang together in a large show of unity and hope, calling for his return to the Philippines.

His backers have since led vigorous campaigns insisting that Duterte should come home.

Currently, there is no clarity on how Duterte would officially assume his role as mayor while being detained overseas.

His daughter, Sara Duterte, stated that this matter is being addressed by both his legal team from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and his Philippine-based attorneys.

Sara Duterte had been impeached from her role as vice-president earlier this year,

Given that Duterte remains imprisoned in the Netherlands, it is likely that mayoral responsibilities could be handed over to the elected vice-mayor.

That position was also being contested by Duterte’s son, Sebastian Duterte, who appeared to be leading in that race as well.

Members of the Duterte family, including his children and grandchildren, have claimed that the government essentially “kidnapped” the former president.

Following his arrest, Duterte posted a video in which he expressed his willingness to accept responsibility for the decisions and actions carried out under his administration.

Though Sara Duterte did not seek any elected position in Monday’s election, the results are considered critical to her political future.

She was impeached in February over allegations of misappropriating funds and for a speech in which she allegedly made veiled threats against the president, first lady, and speaker of the house.

Sara is set to stand trial in the Senate, which was partially up for re-election during Monday’s vote.

If the Senate finds her guilty, she would be disqualified from holding public office in the future, effectively ending any hopes of a presidential run in 2028.

Last week, Sara addressed a rally, expressing that she and her family have been subjected to intense public scrutiny and unfair treatment.

She lamented how their name had been “dragged through the mud” and posed a rhetorical question to the crowd:

“Who will truly benefit if the Duterte family disappears from this world?”

She answered by asserting that it would not be the Filipino people—nor those affected by crime, unemployment, poverty, or hunger.

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