Millions of Filipinos voted in the midterm elections on Monday, and former President Rodrigo Duterte was one of the candidates competing for around 18,000 jobs in the government. President Marcos Jr. was seen on television filling out his voting paper and putting it in the box in Batac City.

In this picture from the Presidential Communications Office, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in the middle, points to the 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 polling station in Quezon City, Philippines, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

People voted at a polling station in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to reporters and makes a gesture after voting in Davao City on Monday, May 12, 2025.

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

Authored by TERESA CEROJANO

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

Duterte is being held by the International Criminal Court since March. He is waiting for his trial for crimes against humanity. These crimes are related to his harsh actions against illegal drugs during his time as president from 2016 to 2022. Thousands of people died during this time. However, being in custody has not prevented him from trying to become mayor of his city in the south, Davao, which is a place where he has a lot of support.

In the Philippines, people who are accused of crimes, even those in jail, are allowed to run for election unless they have been found guilty and have no more chances to appeal.

People think Duterte will likely win the election for mayor of Davao. He was mayor for more than twenty years before he became president. But it is not clear how he can actually do the job of mayor while he is in prison.

More than 68 million Filipinos signed up to vote on Monday. They voted for half of the 24 Senate members, all 317 seats in the House of Representatives, and many different jobs in provinces, cities, and towns.

Voting stopped at 7 p.m. in the area, but people still waiting in some places could still vote. Election workers said the unofficial winner might be known soon, but the official results would be shared within a week.

The focus is on the Senate election, which could decide the political future of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is President Duterte's daughter.

Many people think Sara Duterte has a good chance to become president in 2028. However, if the Senate finds her guilty, she will lose her position as vice president and will not be allowed to work in government again. To be found innocent, at least nine out of the 24 senators must support her with their votes.

The 2025 elections are very important because their results will show what happens next and which group will be strongest in the 2028 elections, says Maria Ela Atienza, a professor of politics at the University of the Philippines.

If Sara Duterte is found guilty in the trial, it might mean the Duterte family will stop having important jobs in the country, she said. Other family members running in the election are Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest son, Sebastian, the current mayor of Davao, who is now running for vice mayor and people think he will win. His oldest son Paolo wants to be re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives. Two grandsons are also running in local elections.

Rodrigo Duterte was impeached and sent to a court in The Hague after his relationship with Marcos and Sara Duterte broke down because they had different ideas and goals.

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

She told reporters after voting that she would accept what the voters decided, even if the candidates she supported lost.

Speaking about her father’s expected win, she said: “He definitely won’t be here, we expect the vice mayor (Sebastian) will be the acting mayor.”

In a video the day before the election, Marcos asked Filipinos to vote and share their opinions.

Her father's spiritual adviser and political friend, Apollo Quiboloy, who is a televangelist, wants to be a Senator. But he is in prison because people say he committed sexual abuse and human trafficking. The U.S. also wants him for similar crimes.

Some voting was affected by violence in different places. For example, in one city, two people were killed and seven were injured in a shooting. In another area, supporters of two people wanting to be mayor had a gunfight, and two people died and two were hurt. In a different southern area, seven people were killed in shootings that might have been connected to the election. Other people were also injured in shootings elsewhere in the country.

Also, fights between supporters of different candidates stopped voting for a time in some areas. In Manila, some people said their names were not on the list where they were supposed to vote. Other people complained about the very long line in the very 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 against Marcos, but about choosing the right leaders.

Diana Joy Acosta, a new mother aged 32, said after voting in a school in Manila that she thinks this election is about the future of the next generation. She hopes that for her baby's future, corruption will end and that politicians will be honest.