Philippine election 2025: Millions vote in midterms as Marcos-Duterte feud heats up
Rodrigo Duterte: A political comeback from ICC prison
Image source, Getty Images
Former President Rodrigo Duterte may be detained in The Hague thousands of miles away, but in his hometown of Davao City in the southern Philippines, he is poised to make a political comeback.
His name remains on the ballot and he is tipped to reclaim the post he held for decades before he became president in 2016. His youngest son Sebastian (the current mayor) is running as his vice-mayor.
If father Rodrigo and son Sebastian win, city hall will remain in the family, as it has for almost four decades now. Sara served as mayor there when her father was president.
Davao is a sprawling metropolis known for its durians and eagle sanctuaries - and Sara's political propaganda casts her as the 'eagle from the south'.
It is also where the Dutertes showcased their tough anti-crime policies, which they say made the city attractive to investors.
But critics and human rights groups say Davao City is the birthplace of Duterte's death squad, accused of summarily executing hundreds of drug suspects. That is the backbone of the crimes against humanity charge that the Duterte patriarch is facing before the ICC.
Read more about Rodrigo Duterte here.
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