Duterte Wins Mayoral Elections Despite ICC Trial

(MENAFN) Former Philippine Leader Rodrigo Duterte has apparently secured a decisive victory in the mayoral contest of his hometown, based on unofficial tallies released Tuesday.

This victory comes even while Duterte remains detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where he faces allegations of crimes against humanity.

Duterte, aged 80, was apprehended by Philippine officials at Manila’s international airport in March and subsequently transported to The Hague.

He is currently on trial for his controversial ‘war on drugs’ campaign.

According to Philippine legislation, individuals accused of crimes may still vie for public office provided they have not been found guilty and their legal appeals are still underway.

Initial figures indicated that Duterte had garnered over 500,000 votes in Davao City—nearly eightfold the count of his closest competitor.

He previously held the city’s mayoral position for twenty years before ascending to the presidency in 2016. Official vote counts are anticipated within the week.

“Duterte landslide in Davao!” exclaimed his youngest daughter Veronica in a Facebook post.
The “overwhelming” backing Duterte received reflects the public’s “total rejection” of any attempt to “attempt to stamp out” his legacy, stated his legal counsel, as reported by a news outlet.

Crowds of supporters were heard chanting his name as early voting results were made public.

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