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South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Why Duterte's diehard fans are carrying cardboard cut-outs around The Hague
It's morning in The Hague and Senator Robin Padilla is wandering around looking for a place to eat – while carrying a life-size full-colour cardboard cut-out of Rodrigo Duterte Settling down at an outdoor cafe, the Filipino political partisan props the standee beside him. The cardboard image of the former president depicts him seated, wearing dark glasses and a T-shirt. Padilla, president of the Duterte-controlled PDP Laban party, snaps a photo for his social media account. To some, this scene may appear surreal – but not to the other Filipinos nearby, who are arriving in town with their own standees in tow. In one video, a middle-aged Filipino woman rides a speeding tram while clutching a Duterte standee. She glances back at the bemused passengers, smiles and says earnestly: 'This is our president.' Duterte, 80, is being held at the International Criminal Court 's detention centre in Scheveningen, The Hague's seaside resort district. He is set to face trial this year for crimes against humanity related to his administration's 'war on drugs'. Senator Robin Padilla having a 'breakfast meeting' with Rodrigo Duterte's standee in The Hague. Photo: Facebook/Robin Padilla
Khaleej Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Philippine elections 2025: Detained former president Duterte wins Davao mayor's election
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was almost certain to be elected mayor of his home city by a landslide, unimpeded by his detention at the International Criminal Court on charges of murder as a crime against humanity. With 80% of votes counted in an unofficial tally, Duterte, who was brought to The Hague in March over his bloody "war on drugs" that killed thousands of people, was winning the Davao mayoral contest with eight times more votes than his nearest rival. The victory during nationwide midterm elections is testament to the 80-year-old's enduring influence in the southern city, owing to his reputation as a crime-buster that earned him the nicknames "Duterte Harry" and "the Punisher". Duterte's old Facebook account was flooded with congratulatory messages from supporters, with some calling for his return to serve his people. "Congratulations, Tatay (father) D! Let's bring him home," read one of the comments. Duterte could become the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC. His surprise arrest by Philippine police at the request of the ICC caused outrage among his army of supporters, who called it a kidnapping at the behest of a foreign court. He has defended the anti-drugs crackdown and his legal team says his arrest was unlawful. The ICC maintains it has jurisdiction to prosecute alleged crimes committed before Duterte withdrew the Philippines from its founding treaty in 2019. Despite the ICC's case also including alleged killings of criminal suspects by a "death squad" in Davao while Duterte was mayor - which he has denied - analysts have said his arrest has only hardened support for him and his family, in Davao and beyond. The former president's two sons were also set to win posts on Monday, one reelected congressman and the other winning the contest for Davao vice mayor and likely to serve in his father's absence. The family's political resilience and dominance in Davao could prove pivotal as Duterte's popular daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, faces an impeachment trial that could see her banned from politics for life if convicted, killing off any hopes of a presidential run. Asked earlier on Monday about her father's likely victory, she said plans would be made for him to be sworn in as mayor. "The ICC lawyer said once we get proclamation papers, we will discuss how he can take oath," she said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Duterte scores landslide win in local elections. But can he be mayor from The Hague?
In the gripping game of thrones of Philippine politics, voters have delivered former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte a sweeping mayoral victory in his hometown stronghold of Davao – predictable for a family that has held the job for more than 20 years. But this latest landslide win creates a predicament for the Philippines, as the mayor-elect is thousands of miles away behind bars awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague accuse the 80-year-old political patriarch of carrying out a brutal war on drugs that killed possibly thousands of people, including many innocents and bystanders. Though he openly boasted about the crackdown, Duterte has long denied accusations of human rights abuses and has repeatedly said he will not kowtow to a foreign court. His next hearing is in September, but before then experts say he faces a new, complicated legal battle between the ICC and Philippine jurisdiction over whether he will be allowed to take the oath of office. Duterte can potentially be sworn in by proxy or in absentia – possibly by a video call, but only if The Hague-based court allows it, experts say. If he's allowed to assume the role, questions will be asked about how he could administer the southern city from a detention center in another time zone, where he has access to a computer and phone calls to family, but no internet. Under Philippine law, day-to-day duties could fall to his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, who was elected as vice mayor of Davao City. If the senior Duterte isn't allowed to take the oath, experts say the role of mayor could fall to election runner-up Karlo Nograles, of the Nograles political dynasty, longtime Duterte rivals in Davao, where both families tussle for influence. Ramon Beleno, a political analyst and former professor from Ateneo de Davao University, said handing the job to Nograles could trigger a separate legal challenge from the Dutertes. Duterte remains a powerful yet divisive figure in the Philippines. In Davao City, where he served as mayor for over two decades before becoming president in 2016, fervent supporters credit his iron grip over the city with bolstering law and order. Duterte's lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, was quoted by Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN as saying the 'overwhelming' support for Duterte in the 2025 midterm elections showed the public's 'total rejection' of the national government's 'attempt to stamp out' the former president's legacy. In a reply to CNN, Kaufman said 'any swearing in ceremony would be dictated by and conform to the law of the Republic of the Philippines. Accordingly, a decision on this issue will be taken in the very near future after all options have been discussed with the former President's Filipino lawyers.' Beleno said voters saw this election as Duterte's 'last hurrah' and cast their ballot as a final tribute to the aging former strongman leader. Duterte's arrest had only galvanized voters, he said. Support for Duterte extended to his family, who re-emerged in the vote with sweeping control of their political stronghold. All five Duterte family members who ran in this election won by a landslide. Duterte's son Paolo was re-elected to congress and two of Paolo's sons also won public office: Omar won as congressman for Davao City's second district and Rodrigo II, who goes by the nickname 'Rigo,' was elected as first district councilor. Sebastian Duterte, the vice mayor-elect – who could be mayor in his father's absence – is not as outspoken as the elder Duterte and a lot of political responsibilities are already weighing against him at home, Beleno said. The main legal hurdle Duterte faces, despite his landslide mayoral win, is whether he would be allowed to swear the oath during his enforced absence. All elected public officials are supposed to take their oath within 30 days of their supposed assumption of office on July 1, according to Joel Butuyan, an ICC-accredited lawyer and president of human rights NGO CenterLaw. Unable to be sworn in at home, Duterte would need to take the oath in the presence of a Philippine ambassador or consul in The Hague, which seems unlikely, Butuyan said. 'I don't think he's going to be allowed to get out just to take office because it's not in the enumerated rights of an accused (person) in the ICC,' he said. If the ICC grants Duterte permission, the oath will be recognized in the Philippines, but he 'will not be able to perform his functions because he's out of the country and he's in detention,' Butuyan said. 'It's not ideal at all,' Butuyan added, of the election result. 'It does not serve the interests of the people of Davao that they voted for someone who will not be able to perform his functions as a city mayor.' The mayor is the face of the city, with administrative tasks such as attending meetings and functions, signing documents and authorizing payrolls – all difficult to do effectively if Duterte is sitting halfway across the world, said Beleno, the political analyst. Even before the final votes were cast, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, said that her father's ICC lawyer and Philippine legal team were discussing how he can take the oath. 'The ICC lawyer said that once we get proclamation papers, we'll discuss again how former President Rodrigo Duterte can take the oath,' she said. CNN has reached out to the ICC and Kaufman, Duterte's legal counsel. In a court filing to the ICC earlier this month, Kaufman said there is no legal basis for the case against Duterte because the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC, but under the court's withdrawal mechanism, it keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016 and 2019, when the country's pullout became official. The closely watched midterm election was considered a proxy battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte-Carpio as ties disintegrate between the former allies turned enemies. The vice president is facing impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives amid allegations of corruption, which she denies. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to convict her, remove her from public office, and ban her from seeking any public post. To stay in office, Duterte-Carpio needs nine of 24 senators to vote for her acquittal. And neither the Marcoses nor the Dutertes dominate the Senate after the May 2025 vote. The race yielded a three-way stalemate between Marcos-endorsed candidates, Duterte-allied politicians, and liberal-leaning figures, said Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. 'The vice president has more breathing room now … but she should also be careful with how the public perceives her,' Atienza said. 'Her popularity ratings have recovered a bit … but we have seen she can make mistakes that can affect the sentiments of the people.' In reality, the Filipino public is also becoming impatient with the drama in high places, Atienza said. 'They're getting tired of having the Dutertes always fighting with the Marcoses,' she said. For now, political bickering is in gridlock. But Rodrigo Duterte's stronghold still stands and his supporters long for the day he is officially declared mayor and comes back to serve his home country.
CNN
18-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Will former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte be allowed to serve as mayor from detention?
In the gripping game of thrones of Philippine politics, voters have delivered former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte a sweeping mayoral victory in his hometown stronghold of Davao – predictable for a family that has held the job for more than 20 years. But this latest landslide win creates a predicament for the Philippines, as the mayor-elect is thousands of miles away behind bars awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague accuse the 80-year-old political patriarch of carrying out a brutal war on drugs that killed possibly thousands of people, including many innocents and bystanders. Though he openly boasted about the crackdown, Duterte has long denied accusations of human rights abuses and has repeatedly said he will not kowtow to a foreign court. His next hearing is in September, but before then experts say he faces a new, complicated legal battle between the ICC and Philippine jurisdiction over whether he will be allowed to take the oath of office. Duterte can potentially be sworn in by proxy or in absentia – possibly by a video call, but only if The Hague-based court allows it, experts say. If he's allowed to assume the role, questions will be asked about how he could administer the southern city from a detention center in another time zone, where he has access to a computer and phone calls to family, but no internet. Under Philippine law, day-to-day duties could fall to his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, who was elected as vice mayor of Davao City. If the senior Duterte isn't allowed to take the oath, experts say the role of mayor could fall to election runner-up Karlo Nograles, of the Nograles political dynasty, longtime Duterte rivals in Davao, where both families tussle for influence. Ramon Beleno, a political analyst and former professor from Ateneo de Davao University, said handing the job to Nograles could trigger a separate legal challenge from the Dutertes. Duterte remains a powerful yet divisive figure in the Philippines. In Davao City, where he served as mayor for over two decades before becoming president in 2016, fervent supporters credit his iron grip over the city with bolstering law and order. Duterte's lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, was quoted by Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN as saying the 'overwhelming' support for Duterte in the 2025 midterm elections showed the public's 'total rejection' of the national government's 'attempt to stamp out' the former president's legacy. In a reply to CNN, Kaufman said 'any swearing in ceremony would be dictated by and conform to the law of the Republic of the Philippines. Accordingly, a decision on this issue will be taken in the very near future after all options have been discussed with the former President's Filipino lawyers.' Beleno said voters saw this election as Duterte's 'last hurrah' and cast their ballot as a final tribute to the aging former strongman leader. Duterte's arrest had only galvanized voters, he said. Support for Duterte extended to his family, who re-emerged in the vote with sweeping control of their political stronghold. All five Duterte family members who ran in this election won by a landslide. Duterte's son Paolo was re-elected to congress and two of Paolo's sons also won public office: Omar won as congressman for Davao City's second district and Rodrigo II, who goes by the nickname 'Rigo,' was elected as first district councilor. Sebastian Duterte, the vice mayor-elect – who could be mayor in his father's absence – is not as outspoken as the elder Duterte and a lot of political responsibilities are already weighing against him at home, Beleno said. The main legal hurdle Duterte faces, despite his landslide mayoral win, is whether he would be allowed to swear the oath during his enforced absence. All elected public officials are supposed to take their oath within 30 days of their supposed assumption of office on July 1, according to Joel Butuyan, an ICC-accredited lawyer and president of human rights NGO CenterLaw. Unable to be sworn in at home, Duterte would need to take the oath in the presence of a Philippine ambassador or consul in The Hague, which seems unlikely, Butuyan said. 'I don't think he's going to be allowed to get out just to take office because it's not in the enumerated rights of an accused (person) in the ICC,' he said. If the ICC grants Duterte permission, the oath will be recognized in the Philippines, but he 'will not be able to perform his functions because he's out of the country and he's in detention,' Butuyan said. 'It's not ideal at all,' Butuyan added, of the election result. 'It does not serve the interests of the people of Davao that they voted for someone who will not be able to perform his functions as a city mayor.' The mayor is the face of the city, with administrative tasks such as attending meetings and functions, signing documents and authorizing payrolls – all difficult to do effectively if Duterte is sitting halfway across the world, said Beleno, the political analyst. Even before the final votes were cast, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, said that her father's ICC lawyer and Philippine legal team were discussing how he can take the oath. 'The ICC lawyer said that once we get proclamation papers, we'll discuss again how former President Rodrigo Duterte can take the oath,' she said. CNN has reached out to the ICC and Kaufman, Duterte's legal counsel. In a court filing to the ICC earlier this month, Kaufman said there is no legal basis for the case against Duterte because the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC, but under the court's withdrawal mechanism, it keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016 and 2019, when the country's pullout became official. The closely watched midterm election was considered a proxy battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte-Carpio as ties disintegrate between the former allies turned enemies. The vice president is facing impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives amid allegations of corruption, which she denies. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to convict her, remove her from public office, and ban her from seeking any public post. To stay in office, Duterte-Carpio needs nine of 24 senators to vote for her acquittal. And neither the Marcoses nor the Dutertes dominate the Senate after the May 2025 vote. The race yielded a three-way stalemate between Marcos-endorsed candidates, Duterte-allied politicians, and liberal-leaning figures, said Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. 'The vice president has more breathing room now … but she should also be careful with how the public perceives her,' Atienza said. 'Her popularity ratings have recovered a bit … but we have seen she can make mistakes that can affect the sentiments of the people.' In reality, the Filipino public is also becoming impatient with the drama in high places, Atienza said. 'They're getting tired of having the Dutertes always fighting with the Marcoses,' she said. For now, political bickering is in gridlock. But Rodrigo Duterte's stronghold still stands and his supporters long for the day he is officially declared mayor and comes back to serve his home country.
CNN
18-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Will former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte be allowed to serve as mayor from detention?
In the gripping game of thrones of Philippine politics, voters have delivered former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte a sweeping mayoral victory in his hometown stronghold of Davao – predictable for a family that has held the job for more than 20 years. But this latest landslide win creates a predicament for the Philippines, as the mayor-elect is thousands of miles away behind bars awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague accuse the 80-year-old political patriarch of carrying out a brutal war on drugs that killed possibly thousands of people, including many innocents and bystanders. Though he openly boasted about the crackdown, Duterte has long denied accusations of human rights abuses and has repeatedly said he will not kowtow to a foreign court. His next hearing is in September, but before then experts say he faces a new, complicated legal battle between the ICC and Philippine jurisdiction over whether he will be allowed to take the oath of office. Duterte can potentially be sworn in by proxy or in absentia – possibly by a video call, but only if The Hague-based court allows it, experts say. If he's allowed to assume the role, questions will be asked about how he could administer the southern city from a detention center in another time zone, where he has access to a computer and phone calls to family, but no internet. Under Philippine law, day-to-day duties could fall to his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, who was elected as vice mayor of Davao City. If the senior Duterte isn't allowed to take the oath, experts say the role of mayor could fall to election runner-up Karlo Nograles, of the Nograles political dynasty, longtime Duterte rivals in Davao, where both families tussle for influence. Ramon Beleno, a political analyst and former professor from Ateneo de Davao University, said handing the job to Nograles could trigger a separate legal challenge from the Dutertes. Duterte remains a powerful yet divisive figure in the Philippines. In Davao City, where he served as mayor for over two decades before becoming president in 2016, fervent supporters credit his iron grip over the city with bolstering law and order. Duterte's lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, was quoted by Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN as saying the 'overwhelming' support for Duterte in the 2025 midterm elections showed the public's 'total rejection' of the national government's 'attempt to stamp out' the former president's legacy. In a reply to CNN, Kaufman said 'any swearing in ceremony would be dictated by and conform to the law of the Republic of the Philippines. Accordingly, a decision on this issue will be taken in the very near future after all options have been discussed with the former President's Filipino lawyers.' Beleno said voters saw this election as Duterte's 'last hurrah' and cast their ballot as a final tribute to the aging former strongman leader. Duterte's arrest had only galvanized voters, he said. Support for Duterte extended to his family, who re-emerged in the vote with sweeping control of their political stronghold. All five Duterte family members who ran in this election won by a landslide. Duterte's son Paolo was re-elected to congress and two of Paolo's sons also won public office: Omar won as congressman for Davao City's second district and Rodrigo II, who goes by the nickname 'Rigo,' was elected as first district councilor. Sebastian Duterte, the vice mayor-elect – who could be mayor in his father's absence – is not as outspoken as the elder Duterte and a lot of political responsibilities are already weighing against him at home, Beleno said. The main legal hurdle Duterte faces, despite his landslide mayoral win, is whether he would be allowed to swear the oath during his enforced absence. All elected public officials are supposed to take their oath within 30 days of their supposed assumption of office on July 1, according to Joel Butuyan, an ICC-accredited lawyer and president of human rights NGO CenterLaw. Unable to be sworn in at home, Duterte would need to take the oath in the presence of a Philippine ambassador or consul in The Hague, which seems unlikely, Butuyan said. 'I don't think he's going to be allowed to get out just to take office because it's not in the enumerated rights of an accused (person) in the ICC,' he said. If the ICC grants Duterte permission, the oath will be recognized in the Philippines, but he 'will not be able to perform his functions because he's out of the country and he's in detention,' Butuyan said. 'It's not ideal at all,' Butuyan added, of the election result. 'It does not serve the interests of the people of Davao that they voted for someone who will not be able to perform his functions as a city mayor.' The mayor is the face of the city, with administrative tasks such as attending meetings and functions, signing documents and authorizing payrolls – all difficult to do effectively if Duterte is sitting halfway across the world, said Beleno, the political analyst. Even before the final votes were cast, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, said that her father's ICC lawyer and Philippine legal team were discussing how he can take the oath. 'The ICC lawyer said that once we get proclamation papers, we'll discuss again how former President Rodrigo Duterte can take the oath,' she said. CNN has reached out to the ICC and Kaufman, Duterte's legal counsel. In a court filing to the ICC earlier this month, Kaufman said there is no legal basis for the case against Duterte because the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC, but under the court's withdrawal mechanism, it keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016 and 2019, when the country's pullout became official. The closely watched midterm election was considered a proxy battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte-Carpio as ties disintegrate between the former allies turned enemies. The vice president is facing impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives amid allegations of corruption, which she denies. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to convict her, remove her from public office, and ban her from seeking any public post. To stay in office, Duterte-Carpio needs nine of 24 senators to vote for her acquittal. And neither the Marcoses nor the Dutertes dominate the Senate after the May 2025 vote. The race yielded a three-way stalemate between Marcos-endorsed candidates, Duterte-allied politicians, and liberal-leaning figures, said Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. 'The vice president has more breathing room now … but she should also be careful with how the public perceives her,' Atienza said. 'Her popularity ratings have recovered a bit … but we have seen she can make mistakes that can affect the sentiments of the people.' In reality, the Filipino public is also becoming impatient with the drama in high places, Atienza said. 'They're getting tired of having the Dutertes always fighting with the Marcoses,' she said. For now, political bickering is in gridlock. But Rodrigo Duterte's stronghold still stands and his supporters long for the day he is officially declared mayor and comes back to serve his home country.
