Duterte Family Leads Davao City Elections Amid ICC Detention

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, despite being detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges related to his controversial war on drugs, is leading and poised to reclaim the mayoral seat of Davao City, a position he held for over 20 years before becoming president. Duterte is winning by a large margin over his closest rival, Karlo Nograles, who remains confident in his campaign but trails significantly in the vote count. Duterte's victory would mark the continuation of the Duterte family's political dominance in Davao City, which has held the mayoral post for 34 years. Concurrently, Duterte's grandson, Omar Vincent Duterte, is set to end the Garcia family's decades-long hold over Davao City's 2nd congressional district, further consolidating the Duterte family's influence. The elections underscore the strong local support for Duterte and his family, despite ongoing international legal challenges and criticism over alleged human rights abuses. The Duterte political dynasty continues to demonstrate considerable resilience and voter loyalty in Davao City amid the 2025 midterm elections.