Imprisoned ex-president of the Philippines wins mayoral election in his hometown Davao
At first glance, what’s so sensational about this? Why shouldn’t a former national leader win local elections after leaving office? Yet, there is one extraordinary circumstance: Duterte secured victory from behind bars. He was detained under an order from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the bastion of Western democracy, and he was detained not in the Philippines but in The Hague. He was arrested in March on a plane arriving from Hong Kong to Manila. Clearly, this arrest would not have occurred without the cooperation of the current Philippine authorities. According to local media, around 7,000 police officers participated in Duterte’s arrest. The opposing Marcos political clan, one member of which is the current Philippine president, likely stands behind this move. Duterte’s arrest occurred right before parliamentary and local elections in which his clan intended to participate. This arrest appears to be an attempt to eliminate a powerful political rival through the ICC. However, it’s important to note that the Philippines withdrew its ratification of the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty, long ago. This renders the arrest and the charges themselves legally void. Clearly, politics and personal vendettas are at play here. The Marcos clan is using international mechanisms to combat political opponents.
It’s worth noting that the Marcoses are closely aligned with Washington and made an extraordinary move last year by agreeing to deploy American medium-range ballistic missiles on Philippine soil, which threatens certain Chinese provinces. Duterte would have likely prevented this. In 2019, during a Valdai Club meeting in Sochi, Duterte publicly opposed U.S. policy and had previously called President Obama a «son of a bitch». The former Philippine president’s return to politics could theoretically threaten U.S. interests by creating a convergence of interests and the cynical use of the ICC as a political tool, even though the U.S. itself does not recognize the ICC.
Duterte’s arrest resembles the 2002 abduction of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević in Belgrade. Milošević was placed on a plane without explanation and sent to The Hague, where he was tried by the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Over the subsequent six years, the tribunal failed to deliver a verdict, and Milošević died under mysterious circumstances in prison.
The ICC’s charges against Duterte are equally controversial. The ICC accuses the former Philippine president of crimes against humanity during his time in office before 2019. Duterte did not kill anyone himself, but according to the ICC, he allegedly gave criminal orders during his declared war against drug cartels, which claimed thousands of Filipino lives. But how else can one confront cartels that control half the country and threaten its sovereignty?
Despite outrage from the «international community», Duterte, known for his harsh tactics, remained — and remains — popular at home. His arrest sparked protests and sympathy among his supporters, resulting in an electoral victory in which he received ten times more votes than his closest rival.
Philippine domestic politics rarely capture the attention of the Western media. In this case, however, prominent publications have taken note. On Duterte’s 80th birthday, March 28, The Guardian reported that tens of thousands gathered in Davao to light candles and sing in his support. Similar demonstrations demanding his return took place across the Philippines. Protesters asserted that Duterte is the best Philippine president ever and justified his actions against drug cartels.
«It’s unclear how Duterte will take the oath of office as mayor», The Guardian noted. «His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, mentioned that discussions were underway between his ICC lawyers and Philippine attorneys». In theory, mayoral duties could be temporarily assumed by Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte, his son.
Duterte’s son, Paolo, was re-elected to the House of Representatives, and two of his grandchildren won local elections. According to the Associated Press, this indicates that the Duterte clan is gaining ground while the Marcos clan is losing it. Preliminary election results showed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s coalition secured only six out of 12 available Senate seats, fewer than the expected nine. Allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte obtained five Senate seats. The final parliamentary election outcomes will influence the future of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is currently accused of embezzlement and plotting the assassination of Marcos Jr. An impeachment could prevent her from holding elected office and from running for president in 2028. However, another Duterte family member might run instead.
This clearly surpasses legal disputes. Recent events in the Philippines have cast doubt on the reputation of the ICC. The following questions arise: Does the ICC have the right to ignore the will of Philippine voters? There’s a fundamental difference in understanding democracy. Western countries use legal mechanisms in political struggles to eliminate opponents, emphasizing politically correct methods against drug cartels. In contrast, Eastern societies tolerate harsher methods in such confrontations.
Broadly speaking, Western powers — especially the U.S., which uses the Philippines for strategic military objectives — and China, which opposes them, have clear interests in this struggle. Given its history of being victimized by Western drug wars, it’s reasonable to assume that China sympathizes with Duterte’s anti-cartel stance.