In an unprecedented political development, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won the mayoral election in Davao City on May 12, 2025, despite being detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity. The victory, announced following the country’s midterm elections, underscores Duterte’s enduring popularity in his hometown, though his incarceration prevents him from assuming office, raising questions about the city’s immediate governance.
Duterte, arrested on March 11, 2025, at Manila’s airport upon returning from Hong Kong, faces ICC charges related to his “war on drugs,” which resulted in thousands of deaths during his presidency from 2016 to 2022 and his earlier tenure as Davao mayor. The ICC alleges that Duterte orchestrated “Davao Death Squads” to target drug suspects, a model later scaled nationally. Despite his detention, Duterte’s name remained on the ballot in Davao, a city of 1.8 million where his family has held sway for decades. He secured over 60% of the vote, defeating rival Karlo Nograles, a former congressman, in a race that highlighted the Duterte dynasty’s regional dominance.
The win is largely symbolic, as Philippine law prohibits Duterte from taking office while detained abroad. The role is expected to pass to the elected vice mayor, likely his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, who campaigned alongside his father’s platform of public safety and infrastructure development. Duterte’s campaign, managed by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, leveraged his legacy of transforming Davao into one of the Philippines’ safest cities, a narrative that resonated with voters despite his legal troubles. Supporters rallied under slogans demanding his release, viewing the ICC case as an affront to national sovereignty.
The ICC case, covering 2011 to 2019, accuses Duterte of murder as a crime against humanity, with prosecutors citing witness testimonies, government documents, and Duterte’s own speeches. Human rights groups estimate the drug war’s death toll at up to 30,000, far exceeding the police’s 6,000 figure, fueling calls for accountability. Duterte’s first ICC appearance via videoconference on March 14, 2025, set a pretrial hearing for September 23, with a potential trial stretching years. His legal team argues that the Philippines’ 2019 ICC withdrawal nullifies the court’s jurisdiction and that his arrest violated national laws.
Davao’s election outcome strengthens the Duterte family’s political leverage, particularly for Sara Duterte, who eyes a 2028 presidential run. It also intensifies tensions with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose administration facilitated Duterte’s extradition, deepening a rift between the two dynasties. While some Davao residents, like Nograles supporters, seek change to move beyond Duterte’s controversial tactics, his victory reflects a loyal base undeterred by international legal scrutiny.