Millions of Filipinos voted in Monday's midterm elections. This included former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is in prison.

In this picture from the Presidential Communications Office, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is in the middle, showing the special ink on his finger after voting at a polling place in Batac City, Ilocos Norte province, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

A man votes at a voting place in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

Citizens exercised their right to vote at a polling station in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte gestures and talks to the media at a press conference after voting in Davao City, southern Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

In this photo from Team Pacquiao, the famous Filipino boxer and former senator, Manny Pacquiao, shows the ink on his finger after voting at a school in Kiamba, Sarangani province, in the southern Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Authored by Teresa Cerojano, this piece offers insights into...

Even though he is held in The Hague, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was one of the candidates in Monday's midterm elections. About 18,000 national and local positions were available. Experts think these elections will show if he and his family will keep their political power.

Since March, Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court. He is waiting for his trial there for crimes against humanity. These crimes are related to a violent campaign against illegal drugs. This campaign led to the deaths of thousands of people during his time as president from 2016 to 2022. Despite this, he is still running to become mayor of Davao, a city in the south where he is very popular.

In the Philippines, someone who is accused of a crime or is in prison can still run for a government job. They can only be stopped if a court finds them guilty and they have no more chances to appeal the decision.

People think Duterte will win the election for mayor of Davao, a job he had for more than 20 years before he became president. It's not clear how he can actually be mayor if he is in prison.

More than 68 million people in the Philippines signed up to vote on Monday. They voted for positions in the government, like for the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Voting finished at 7 p.m. in the area, but people who were still waiting in line could vote. Those in charge of the election said the first results might be ready in a few hours, and the final results would be shared within a week.

The main attention is on the Senate election. This election could decide the political future of Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

Many people think Sara Duterte could win the 2028 presidential election. But if the Senate says she is guilty, she will lose her job as vice president and won't be allowed to work in government. To be found not guilty, she needs at least nine of the 24 senators to vote for her.

The 2025 elections will be very important because the results will show what happens next and which family or group will be strongest in the 2028 elections, said Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines.

If Sara Duterte loses the impeachment trial, it might mean the Duterte family will no longer have important jobs in the government, she stated. Other family members in the election are Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest son, Sebastian, who is currently the mayor of Davao and is now trying to become vice mayor, and people think he will win. His oldest son, Paolo, wants to be a member of the House of Representatives again. Two grandsons are also running in local elections.

Rodrigo Duterte was impeached, arrested, and sent to the court in The Hague after Marcos and Sara Duterte's relationship broke down because of political disagreements and their different goals.

Earlier on Monday, Sara Duterte voted in Davao while Marcos voted in his hometown of Batac City in the north.

She told reporters after voting that she would accept the result if the candidates she supported did not win.

She said her father definitely wouldn't be there for his expected win. They expected the vice mayor, Sebastian, to be the acting mayor.

The day before the election, Marcos made a video saying that Filipinos should vote and share their opinions.

Her father's religious adviser and political friend, Apollo Quiboloy, who preaches on TV, is also trying to become a senator. He is doing this even though he is in prison because he is accused of sexual abuse and illegally moving people. The U.S. also wants him for the same reasons.

Voting was affected by some violent incidents.

Fights between supporters of different candidates also stopped voting in some areas. In Manila, some voters said their names were not on the list in their voting place. Others complained about the long wait in the hot weather.

Voter Reymark Marquez said the Marcos-Duterte team that won in 2022 did not do what they promised. He said the midterm elections are not just about Duterte versus Marcos, but about choosing good leaders.

Diana Joy Acosta, a new mother who is 32, thinks this election is important for the future of the next generation.