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Reuters
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Down, but not out: Philippines election gifts Duterte a shot at political survival
MANILA, May 13 (Reuters) - A Philippine midterm election may have leaned in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's favour but the stronger-than-expected showing for estranged vice president and bitter rival Sara Duterte may have given him a jolt, with the possibility of a shift in the balance of power in the rest of his term. Despite surveys predicting the president's allies would sweep the Senate election, Duterte gained an important foothold in the high-profile chamber that could ensure she survives a concerted effort by Marcos loyalists to banish her from politics via impeachment and deny her a presidential run in 2028. Monday's outcome showed Duterte's influence remains far from diminished, despite an acrimonious fallout with Marcos, months of humiliating Congressional enquiries into her office's finances and the arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. An unofficial tally showed four Duterte-aligned candidates, including Marcos' sister and two trusted lieutenants of the detained former president, will win seats in upper house, where an impeachment trial could be convened with the 24 Senators serving as jurors. With a two-thirds majority needed to convict her and ban her from office for life, Duterte would need only nine votes to be exonerated. "If that happens, she will come out strong and that's a boost for her presidential bid," said Aries Argugay, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. "Sara is looking good in terms of acquittal." The impeachment of Duterte by the Marcos-aligned lower house and dramatic arrest of her father in March could ultimately backfire in galvanizing the vice president's army of supporters, allowing her to build alliances ahead of a 2028 presidential election that Marcos cannot contest due to a single-term limit. Despite the midterms rally for Duterte's allies, Marcos managed to secure his majority in the lower house and influence in the Senate, boosting chances of successful passage for his legislative agenda. But the prospect of the vice president's survival has major implications for Marcos, who to protect his legacy will need to anoint a successor capable of fending off the popular Duterte. "This seems to be the most consequential midterm elections in contemporary Philippine history," added Argugay. Another Duterte presidency could also carry significant security and foreign policy implications, for the United States in particular, with the Philippines one of its closest and most strategically located allies in Asia. During his 2016-2022 presidency, Rodrigo Duterte was staunchly opposed to the United States and pivoted towards China, a stance Marcos reversed with his aggressive push to strengthen ties with Washington and take a multilateral stand against Beijing's conduct in the South China Sea. Sara Duterte as vice president has said little of foreign policy, but staunchly supported her father's agenda while he was in office. Marcos has distanced himself from the impeachment of Duterte and on Tuesday offered a conciliatory message to all political camps after the election. "We may not have won every seat, but our work and mission continue," he said in a statement. "To the newly elected, regardless of party or coalition, I extend my hand. Let us move forward together with open minds and common purpose."
Malay Mail
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
China's influence becomes key battleground in Philippines' high-stakes election as Marcos and Duterte camps clash
President Marcos' camp facing off against Duterte clan in polls Maritime confrontations continue in the South China Sea Beijing trying to influence Philippine politics, officials say Most voters back senate candidates who assert Philippine sovereignty — April survey MANILA, May 10 — In political rallies, Senate hearings and voter surveys ahead of Monday's midterm elections in the Philippines, China has been an overwhelming — and unusual — presence. The shadow of its giant maritime neighbour has loomed over the Philippines for years, but as the country's two most prominent political clans flex their muscles in the usually low-key process to pick senators and local government leaders, relations with China have emerged as a political lightning rod. The outcome could end up shaping the country's strategic positioning over the remaining half of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's six-year term, which began in 2022. 'Will we allow ourselves to return to the time when our leaders wanted us to become a province of China?' Marcos asked voters at a rally in February, in a dig at predecessor Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sara, who is currently vice president and a key Marcos rival. During his 2016 to 2022 term, Duterte shifted foreign policy on China, adopting conciliatory rhetoric and downplaying disputes in the South China Sea. The strategy drew concern from Washington and raised questions about the Philippines' longstanding security alliance with the United States. In contrast, Marcos has moved to rekindle and deepen ties with Washington. 'These are hot button issues that many Filipino voters can relate to, particularly on the issue on China. There was a time in the past when foreign policy did not really matter that much during elections,' said Ederson Tapia, professor of public administration at the University of Makati. 'But now it does.' An April survey found that a majority of voters in the country of 110 million prefer candidates who assert Philippine sovereignty in the South China Sea, where the Marcos-led administration has taken a more assertive stance in its maritime confrontations with Beijing, which continue unabated. It is a sentiment that Marcos has tapped into since he started his campaign for the slate of Senate candidates that he is backing. In the February rally, Marcos pointed to his candidates, saying: 'None of them were applauding China when our coast guard was being bombed with water, when our fishermen were being blocked, when their catch was stolen, and our islands seized to become part of another country.' China's embassy in Manila did not respond to questions from Reuters. The Duterte camp enjoyed a surge of sympathy when he was arrested by the International Criminal Court in March and taken to The Hague, but Marcos' candidates remain ahead in polls and appear poised to dominate the Senate race. A Duterte spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte arrives to file her counter affidavit in response to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) complaint over her alleged threat to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, at the Department of Justice in Manila on May 9, 2025. — AFP pic Disinformation proliferation Through a months-long campaign, Marcos has kept up the pressure and focused on China as a key election issue, while his allies have taken aim at Sara Duterte for her silence on China's actions. Sara, a likely future presidential candidate, was once a Marcos ally but now faces an impeachment trial on charges including a threat to assassinate the president if she herself was harmed. In the Philippines, the 24-member Senate acts as the jury in any impeachment trial, making the midterms even more consequential in determining Sara Duterte's political future. Sara, who has denied wrongdoing, has responded to her impeachment with defiance, asking the Supreme Court to nullify the complaint against her. A strong mandate for Marcos would not only define his ability to govern decisively in the remaining three years of his term, but would also shape the 2028 presidential race, said Victor Andres 'Dindo' Manhit, a political analyst and founder of Stratbase Group, a research and advisory firm. Marcos is limited to a single term under the Constitution and is expected to anoint a successor. If she survives impeachment, Sara Duterte would also be eligible to run in 2028. 'Those who will run need to be tested on consistency with regard to these issues,' Manhit said, referring to the protection of Philippines' maritime rights and sovereignty. 'And one of them is the current vice president. She has not spoken against this coercion by China.' A spokesperson for Sara Duterte did not respond to a request for comment. The midterm election comes amid a proliferation of disinformation in the Philippines. Up to 45 per cent of discussions about the elections on social media have been driven by inauthentic accounts, Reuters reported last month. The use of fake accounts and paid influencers for political operations is widespread in the Philippines, but a top security official and a senator alleged last month that Chinese state-sponsored groups might be attempting to influence Filipinos. China's foreign ministry and its embassy in Manila have rejected the accusations. — Reuters
SBS Australia
09-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
'We want to have our say': Filipinos in Australia cast their votes in the Philippine elections
The Philippine Midterm Elections will take place on May 12. For the first time, Filipinos living overseas, including those in Australia, can vote online. As of December 2024, more than 19,000 Filipinos in Australia, Nauru, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia have registered to vote in this year's elections, according to the Philippine Embassy in Australia. Voters have considered candidates' track records, alliances, and integrity as key factors in deciding who to vote for. 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
