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Davao City residents show support for mayoral bet Duterte ahead of polls

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Reuters Wires

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte spends his days in a small, spartan room in detention at the Hague, awaiting trial for a bloody war on drugs that killed thousands during his time in office.But halfway around the world, in his hometown of Davao City, Duterte is on the ticket for mayor in midterm elections on May 12 (Monday) that he is widely expected to win, riding on support in the family stronghold, though it may not translate nationwide.At a small eatery in Davao that calls itself “Duterte’s favorite carinderia”, locals and tourists often drop by to eat at the location where the former Philippine president used to visit.The walls are lined with photographs charting his rise from prosecutor of Davao City to its long-time mayor, then president, and now father to Vice President Sara Duterte.&quot;Everyone that comes here, you can see how proud they are the &quot;Digong&quot; became President,&quot; said the eatery&#x27;s owner Joey Valles.Countless others echo Valles&#x27; loyalty in this southern city of 1.8 million, where Duterte grew up as a child. He served the city as mayor for over two decades before becoming the country&#x27;s first president from the Mindanao region. Though now in detention thousands of miles away, his presence still looms large.As president, the tough-talking Duterte upended Philippine foreign policy and launched a &quot;war on drugs&quot; that rights groups say killed significantly more than a police estimate of 6,000, for which he is being tried in the Netherlands.Yet his influence beyond Davao is far less certain, as the polls shape as a test of how far incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has managed to subdue the Dutertes&#x27; political machine.Now 80 and facing murder charges at the International Criminal Court over his bloody war on drugs, Duterte is mounting a dramatic comeback. If he does win, however, Duterte would be unable to take office, Philippine officials say, so the role would pass to the winning vice mayor, probably his youngest son, Sebastian.&quot;I still support Mayor Duterte. I would still vote for him even if he is not here, and he is still not convicted,&quot; said Davao resident Jovane Genolos.<div>(Production: Eloisa Lopez, Adrian Portugal, Peter Blaza)</div>

In his hometown of Davao City, Duterte is on the ticket for mayor in midterm elections on May 12 that he is widely expected to win, riding on support in the family stronghold.

In his hometown of Davao City, Duterte is on the ticket for mayor in midterm elections on May 12 that he is widely expected to win, riding on support in the family stronghold.

Davao City residents show support for mayoral bet Duterte ahead of polls

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Davao City residents show support for mayoral bet Duterte ahead of polls

Reuters

Published May 09, 2025 07:36 PM PHT

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Updated May 09, 2025 07:37 PM PHT

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