Millions of people participated in the midterm elections in the Philippines on Monday, with former president Rodrigo Duterte, currently detained, among the contenders 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 photo from the Presidential Communications Office, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is shown in the middle, displaying the permanent ink on his finger after voting at a polling station in Batac City, Ilocos Norte province, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

An individual is depicted casting their vote at a polling station located in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

Voters exercised their democratic right by casting their ballots at a polling station in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte makes a gesture while addressing the press following the casting of her ballot at a polling station in Davao City, southern Philippines, Monday, May 12, 2025.

In this photo from Team Pacquiao, Filipino boxing star and former senator Manny Pacquiao shows the ink on his finger after voting at Kiamba Central Elementary School in Kiamba, Sarangani province, 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 among the candidates vying for approximately 18,000 national and local positions in Monday's midterm elections, which analysts suggest will determine whether he and his family retain political influence.

Since March, Duterte has been in the custody of the International Criminal Court, awaiting trial for alleged crimes against humanity stemming from a brutal campaign against illegal drugs during his 2016-2022 presidency, which resulted in thousands of fatalities. His detention, however, has not deterred him from seeking the mayoral position in his southern stronghold of Davao city.

In accordance with Philippine legislation, individuals confronting criminal accusations, even those currently incarcerated, are permitted to seek public office unless they have been found guilty and have exhausted all avenues of appeal.

It is widely anticipated that Duterte will triumph in the Davao mayoral race, a role he occupied for more than twenty years prior to assuming the presidency. The practicalities of his potential service as mayor from within the confines of prison remain considerably uncertain.

On Monday, more than 68 million registered Filipinos were scheduled to cast their ballots for positions including half of the Senate's 24 members, all 317 seats in the House of Representatives, and numerous provincial, city, and municipal roles.

Voting concluded at 7 p.m. local time, although individuals queuing in certain locations were permitted to submit their ballots. Electoral officials indicated that provisional results could be available within hours, while the certified outcome is expected within a week.

Central to current attention is the senatorial contest, which may well shape the political trajectory of Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Duterte.

Sara Duterte is widely regarded as a formidable contender for the 2028 presidential election. However, should the Senate find her guilty, she would be removed from her vice-presidential post and barred from holding public office. To secure an acquittal, she requires the affirmative vote of at least nine of the 24 senators.

According to Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, the 2025 midterm elections will be pivotal, as their outcome will determine the trajectory of subsequent political developments and indicate which family or faction is likely to prevail in the 2028 elections.

A potential conviction of Sara Duterte in the impeachment trial could herald the conclusion of the Duterte family's prominent presence in national leadership, she stated. Other family members vying in the election comprise Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest son, Sebastian, the current mayor of Davao, who is now contesting the vice mayoral position and is largely anticipated to secure victory. His eldest son, Paolo, is pursuing reelection as a legislator in the House of Representatives, while two grandsons are also competing in local electoral contests.

Rodrigo Duterte was impeached and 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 cast her vote in Davao, while Marcos exercised his franchise in his northern hometown of Batac City.

Following her vote, she informed journalists that she would respect the electorate's decision even if her preferred candidates were unsuccessful.

Regarding her father's anticipated victory, she stated, "Undoubtedly, he will not be present; we expect the vice mayor, Sebastian, to assume the role of acting mayor."

On the eve of the election, Marcos, via video message, implored Filipinos to cast their ballots and express their opinions.

Apollo Quiboloy, a televangelist who is her father's spiritual adviser and a close political supporter, is also trying to get elected to the Senate. He is currently in prison because of charges of sexual abuse and human trafficking. He is also wanted in the U.S. for similar crimes.

Electoral proceedings have been disrupted by localized instances of violence.

Clashes among partisans of competing candidates also postponed voting in certain districts. In Manila, some electors reported their names were absent from the registry at their polling station. Others expressed dissatisfaction regarding the prolonged wait in oppressive heat.

Voter Reymark Marquez contended that the Marcos-Duterte alliance, victorious in 2022, had not fulfilled its commitments, asserting that the midterm elections transcend a simple Duterte versus Marcos dichotomy, focusing instead on selecting suitable leaders.

"In my view, the outcome of this election will critically impact the prospects of the coming generation," commented Diana Joy Acosta, a 32-year-old woman who recently became a mother, having voted at a school located in Mandaluyong City within metropolitan Manila.

With her child's future in mind, she expressed a desire for the eradication of corruption and the selection of politicians who demonstrate integrity.