Millions of people participated in midterm elections in the Philippines on Monday, including former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained and among the candidates competing for approximately 18,000 national and local positions. Local media outlets depicted President Marcos Jr. completing his ballot and casting his vote in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

In this photograph released by the Presidential Communications Office, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., positioned centrally, displays the indelible ink on his finger having exercised his right to vote at a polling station in Batac City, Ilocos Norte province, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

An individual participates in the electoral process by depositing their vote at a polling station located in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

On Monday, May 12, 2025, constituents in Quezon City, Philippines, participated in the electoral process by casting their votes at a designated polling station.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte makes a gesture while addressing journalists at a press conference following her vote at a polling station in Davao City, southern Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

In this image supplied by Team Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao, the renowned Filipino boxer and former senator, displays the permanent ink on his finger after voting at Kiamba Central Elementary School in Kiamba, Sarangani province, located in the southern Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Penned by TERESA CEROJANO

Despite being held in The Hague, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was a contender in Monday's midterm elections, competing for one of the roughly 18,000 national and local positions. Analysts suggest the outcome will determine the future political influence of him and his family.

Since March, Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court while awaiting trial for alleged crimes against humanity, stemming from a brutal anti-drug campaign during his 2016-2022 presidency that resulted in thousands of suspect deaths. However, this detention has not deterred him from seeking the mayoral position in his stronghold of Davao city in the south.

In accordance with Philippine legislation, individuals accused of criminal offences, even those held in custody, are eligible to seek public office unless they have received a conviction and have exhausted all avenues of appeal.

Duterte is widely anticipated to secure victory as Davao mayor, a role he occupied for more than two decades prior to his presidency. The practicalities of his serving as mayor from incarceration remain ambiguous.

More than 68 million Filipinos were eligible to cast their ballots on Monday to elect half of the 24 senators, all 317 representatives in the lower house, and numerous provincial, city, and municipal officials.

Voting ended at 7 p.m. local time; however, voters still queuing in certain locations were permitted to cast their votes. Election officials indicated the preliminary result could be determined within a few hours, with the formal outcome anticipated within a week.

The upcoming Senate election is getting a lot of attention because it could decide the political future of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is the daughter of the former President.

Sara Duterte is widely regarded as a formidable candidate for the 2028 presidential election. However, a Senate conviction would result in her dismissal as vice president and render her ineligible to occupy public office. To secure an acquittal, she requires the support of a minimum of nine out of the 24 senators.

The 2025 midterm elections will be pivotal as their outcome will determine the trajectory of future events, specifically which family or faction will exert dominance in the 2028 elections, according to Maria Ela Atienza, a professor of political science at the University of the Philippines.

According to her, a conviction for Sara Duterte in the impeachment trial could herald the conclusion of the Duterte family's dominance in significant national roles. Other family members participating in the election are Rodrigo Duterte's youngest son, Sebastian, the current mayor of Davao, who is now contesting the vice mayoralty and is broadly anticipated to succeed. His eldest son, Paolo, is seeking another term as a Member of Parliament. Additionally, two grandsons are competing in local electoral contests.

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

On Monday morning, Sara Duterte exercised her franchise in Davao, while Marcos performed his civic duty by voting in his northern hometown, Batac City.

Following her vote, she informed reporters that she would respect the outcome of the election, even if the candidates she endorsed were unsuccessful.

Referring to her father’s anticipated victory, she stated, “Without a doubt, he will not be present; we expect the vice mayor (Sebastian) to serve as the acting mayor.”

On the eve of the election, Marcos, through a video message, implored Filipinos to cast their votes and articulate their perspectives.

Televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who was her father’s spiritual adviser and a close political friend, is trying to get a Senate seat. This is happening even though he is in prison for sexual abuse and human trafficking charges and is also wanted in the U.S. for similar reasons.

The electoral process has been disrupted by isolated incidents of violence across the nation. For instance, authorities in Silay City, central Philippines, documented a shooting resulting in two fatalities and seven injuries. In the southern municipality of New Corella, a confrontation involving firearms between proponents of competing mayoral candidates led to two deaths and two injuries. Furthermore, in southern Basilan, seven individuals were killed in incidents believed to be linked to the election, and multiple others sustained injuries in similar shootings elsewhere in the country.

Furthermore, clashes between proponents of opposing candidates also impeded the electoral process in certain constituencies. In Manila, several constituents voiced grievances regarding the omission of their names from the voter rolls at their respective precincts. Concurrently, others expressed discontent concerning the protracted queues amidst oppressive heat.

According to voter Reymark Marquez, the Marcos-Duterte alliance that achieved victory in 2022 did not fulfil their electoral pledges, and the upcoming midterm elections transcend the rivalry between Duterte and Marcos, fundamentally concerning the selection of suitable leadership.

"In my view, the outcome of this election will significantly impact the future of the coming generation," stated Diana Joy Acosta, a 32-year-old recent mother, after voting in a school within metropolitan Manila’s Mandaluyong City. Driven by concern for her child's future, she expressed a desire for the eradication of corruption and the selection of politicians possessing unwavering integrity.