Latest news with #SaraDuterteCarpio
South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' Duterte vs Marcos battle for 2028 begins: ‘they've smelled blood'
As the dust settles from the shock of the Philippines ' midterm election, it is clear that President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his dynastic rivals, the Dutertes, have fought to a stalemate, with both camps securing an equal number of Senate seats. Advertisement This political deadlock ensures that the immediate focus of national politics will revolve around the rivalry between the two powerful clans. For Marcos' administration, pressing economic and foreign-policy issues are likely to take a back seat to two urgent priorities: removing Sara Duterte-Carpio from the vice-presidency, and preparing for the 2028 presidential race. 'All politicians' attention will be on 2028, on who has the best chance of winning,' said Ronald Llamas, political strategist and former presidential adviser. 'Whether overtly or covertly, politicians will begin to gravitate to whoever is No 1 or No 2 in surveys for the presidential elections,' he told This Week in Asia. Unfortunately for the Marcoses, early surveys have not been kind. President Marcos himself is barred from seeking re-election in 2028 by constitutional term limits, even if his popularity were higher. His cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, has been floated as a potential contender, but his abysmal approval ratings – reportedly less than 1 per cent – make him an unlikely flag-bearer for the Marcos camp. Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio enjoys high approval ratings. Photo: AP By contrast, Duterte-Carpio remains a formidable challenger, buoyed by the enduring popularity of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte . 'Her ratings have dropped but they're still high,' Llamas said.
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' Marcos offers reconciliation with Dutertes – will it work?
President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has called for reconciliation with Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio and her family, despite moves by his administration and political allies to impeach her and send her father to face trial in The Hague – a dramatic shift observers say could reflect either political vulnerability or strategic calculation. Advertisement In a one-on-one interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna aired on Monday, Marcos was asked directly: 'Mr President, in your heart do you want to reconcile with the Duterte family?' The president replied, 'Yes. Personally, I don't want conflict. I want to get along with everyone. That's better. I already have many enemies and I don't need enemies. I need friends.' His surprising comment came just days after Duterte-Carpio said she welcomed her Senate impeachment trial – initiated by House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Representative Sandro Marcos, the president's cousin and son respectively – saying she looked forward to 'a bloodbath'. Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio (centre) arrives to cast her vote at a polling centre in Davao City on May 12. Her approval rating rose seven percentage points ahead of the midterm election. Photo: AP It followed a string of politically charged developments: the electoral defeat of most of Marcos' senatorial candidates in the May 12 midterms; the March 11 transfer of Duterte-Carpio's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, to The Hague to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity; and the February 5 vote by the House of Representatives, led by Romualdez, to impeach the vice-president.
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' Marcos offers reconciliation with Dutertes – will it work?
President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has called for reconciliation with Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio and her family, despite moves by his administration and political allies to impeach her and send her father to face trial in The Hague – a dramatic shift observers say could reflect either political vulnerability or strategic calculation. Advertisement In a one-on-one interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna aired on Monday, Marcos was asked directly: 'Mr President, in your heart do you want to reconcile with the Duterte family?' The president replied, 'Yes. Personally, I don't want conflict. I want to get along with everyone. That's better. I already have many enemies and I don't need enemies. I need friends.' His surprising comment came just days after Duterte-Carpio said she welcomed her Senate impeachment trial – initiated by House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Representative Sandro Marcos, the president's cousin and son respectively – saying she looked forward to 'a bloodbath'. Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio (centre) arrives to cast her vote at a polling centre in Davao City on May 12. Her approval rating rose seven percentage points ahead of the midterm election. Photo: AP It followed a string of politically charged developments: the electoral defeat of most of Marcos' senatorial candidates in the May 12 midterms; the March 11 transfer of Duterte-Carpio's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, to The Hague to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity; and the February 5 vote by the House of Representatives, led by Romualdez, to impeach the vice-president.
South China Morning Post
18-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' Sara Duterte wants to stand impeachment trial so she can see ‘bloodbath'
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio wants her impeachment trial to go ahead, days after her allies outperformed at the midterm election that could add to her bloc of supporters in the Senate. Duterte-Carpio said her lawyers' preparations were in 'full throttle' for the impeachment trial. 'I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath,' she told reporters on Saturday. She was impeached by the House of Representatives in February for her alleged death threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and misusing public funds, accusations she denies. She will now be tried by the Senate, which is scheduled for July, when the country's new Congress convenes. Her latest comments come after at least four of the candidates she endorsed won in the country's 12-seat Senate race on May 12, multiple surveys had indicated. A fifth candidate – who was part of the Marcos slate, but who also sought Duterte-Carpio's backing – also won. They will all be jurors when the 24-member chamber begins Duterte-Carpio's impeachment trial.
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippine election: why Davao re-elected Rodrigo Duterte as mayor despite his ICC trial
Residents in the Philippine city of Davao have signalled their continued loyalty to former president Rodrigo Duterte by voting him back in as mayor of his southern stronghold – even as he faces trial for crimes against humanity at The Hague. Duterte, who is detained at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands over his bloody war on drugs, will govern from his prison cell if proclaimed the winner. As of 8am on Tuesday, the ex-president had 537,885 votes, according to partial and unofficial results from over 80 per cent of election returns, aggregated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). His main rival, Karlo Nograles, was trailing far behind with only 64,886 votes. If confirmed, this will mark Duterte's eighth term as mayor of Davao, a city he led for over two decades before becoming president in 2016. The Duterte clan's grip on Davao was further cemented by the victory of Duterte's son, Sebastian 'Baste' Duterte, who garnered 528,697 votes in the vice-mayor race. His closest contender, Bernie Al-Ag, managed only 63,353 votes. Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, Duterte's daughter, outlined three possible ways for him to take his oath as mayor, emphasising that he would 'definitely' serve in absentia. Rodrigo Duterte supporters celebrate his 80th birthday in Davao City, Philippines. Photo: Jeoffrey Maitem Speaking after casting her vote on Monday, she said that whoever won the vice mayor position would be designated as acting mayor and take up her father's duties.
