Overview

• Former President Rodrigo Duterte has been re-elected as mayor of Davao City by a landslide, despite being detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.
• Duterte-backed candidates are projected to win at least four of the 12 contested Senate seats, surpassing pre-election expectations and bolstering Sara Duterte's chances in her upcoming impeachment trial.
• The midterm elections are widely seen as a proxy battle between the Duterte and Marcos dynasties, with over 68 million registered voters deciding more than 18,000 national and local positions.
• Election-related violence claimed at least 16 lives, despite the deployment of 163,000 security personnel across the country to safeguard polling stations and voters.
• The results could reshape Philippine politics, with implications for the 2028 presidential race and the legislative control needed for President Marcos to advance his policy agenda.