Detained Rodrigo Duterte poised to win as Davao City mayor

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The former president is headed to victory even while detained in The Hague, based on partial unofficial results sourced from the Comelec Media Server as of 10:10 pm on Monday, May 12

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Even detention in The Hague failed to stop Rodrigo Duterte from reclaiming the mayoral seat of Davao which he previously held for over 20 years, vacating it only in 2016, when he became president of the Philippines.

Based on partial unofficial results sourced from the Comelec Media Server as of 10:10 pm on Monday, May 12, Duterte is leading with 617,123 votes. This constitutes 61.31% of votes cast. His opponent, Karlo Nograles is a far second with 75,869 votes (7.54%).

Accused of committing crimes against humanity that resulted in the killing of as many as 30,000 in his violent war on drugs, according to tallies of human rights groups, Duterte emerged victorious over his former spokesperson and Cabinet secretary, Karlo Nograles

The former president’s victory etched another Duterte name in the list of Davao City mayors. His election also means that his family will continue to cement control over the city for the next three years. The Duterte dynasty has been holding the top post for 34 years now.

This will be Duterte’s first post since stepping down as president in 2022 and it will be his fourth time to serve as Davao City mayor. He had previously served from February 1988 to June 1998; July 2001 to June 2010; and then from July 2013 to June 2016.

The 2025 midterm polls were crucial for the Duterte family because this year’s elections had challenged their grip on the city, while their patriarch was detained overseas.

Duterte’s arrest in March was seen to be a major factor that could either negatively on positively affect the family’s image. Duterte’s victory was a testament to the locals’ persisting preference for the Duterte brand of politics, notwithstanding the International Criminal Court (ICC) factor.

For the killings under his war on drugs and the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS), Duterte was ordered arrested by the ICC, thus becoming the first former Philippine president and Asian head of state to be nabbed over crimes against humanity.

Groups and confessions also pointed to Duterte as the alleged brain behind the DDS killings in Davao City during his stint as the mayor. Witnesses later said the Davao template was replicated on a nation-wide scale.

Duterte’s son, Sebastian or Baste, also won the vice mayoralty race against former vice mayor Bernie Al-Ag. Baste slid down to the second highest post after his father declared his candidacy for mayor.

The Duterte son first threw his hat into the political ring in 2019, when he won as vice mayor, and then later became mayor in 2022 until 2025. He ran in 2022 after his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, announced her bid for the vice presidency.

Duterte-Nograles rematch

Although Karlo was Duterte’s former Cabinet member, he hails from a family considered a political opponent of the Dutertes.

Karlo’s father, late former speaker Prospero, was Duterte’s longtime political rival in Davao City.

The Nograleses have had hold over the city’s first congressional district, and in 2010, the Nograles patriarch decided to go against Sara for the mayoral post. His bid was unsuccessful as Duterte’s daughter won over him, continuing the Duterte dynasty in the city.

The two political families only mended ties in 2016, after the older Duterte was elected the chief executive. Duterte later gave Karlo his government posts, including being co-chairperson of the COVID-19 task force and then chairperson of the Civil Service Commission. – Rappler.com