Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has once again won the race for mayor of Davao City in the 2025 midterm elections, according to preliminary results announced on Monday evening.
According to the Philippine Election Commission, as reported by local media, with more than 60% of the votes counted, Duterte has secured a comfortable lead with 405,000 votes compared to 49,000 for his closest rival.
Rodrigo Duterte has been in The Hague since March 2025, arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accuses him of crimes against humanity.
The investigation covers the period from November 2011 to March 2019. According to human rights activists, more than 12,000 people were killed during anti-drug operations during Duterte’s presidency in 2016-2022.
The politician’s daughter, Sara Duterte, said that as soon as the family receives the election victory documents, she will discuss with a lawyer from the ICC how Rodrigo Duterte can be sworn in as mayor.
Rodrigo Duterte’s son, Sebastian, currently holds the post of mayor of Davao. He won the election for deputy mayor. Another of Duterte’s sons, Paolo, was re-elected to Congress in the midterm elections.
Philippine electoral law allows candidates to run for public office until they are “finally convicted” by a local court.
