Manila, May 13: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will strengthen his political grip after the Philippine midterm elections, with initial unofficial results indicating his allies are set to win at least half of the 12 up-for-grabs seats in the 24-member Senate. This decisive triumph follows a spectacular public falling out with his estranged Vice President, Sara Duterte, making the elections a test of his leadership and a political test case before the 2028 presidential elections.
Although the election included 18,000 local and national seats, such as mayors, governors, and congressional representatives, national attention was still concentrated on the Senate, where the result could decide the political destiny of Duterte, a high-profile figure in Philippine politics and the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Former allies who swept the 2022 elections, Marcos and Duterte, have since plunged into acrimonious opposition, with Marcos’ camp launching attempts to impeach the Vice President for charges of graft, unexplained wealth, and plots to assassinate Marcos and other officials — charges Duterte has vehemently denied.
The fact that the Senate would act as jurors in the possible impeachment trial made this competition pivotal. Even though Marcos reportedly won the majority, Duterte-sponsored candidates also clinched four seats, granting her a tactical standing to shut off conviction, a two-thirds requirement.
This is not the end it’s a renewed beginning,” Duterte declared in a public statement. “We invite all citizens, irrespective of background or past affiliation, to join us in building a powerful and principled opposition.”
Adding to the unpredictability of the elections was the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte in March by Philippine officials on behalf of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is being held in detention at The Hague, accused of trial over reported human rights abuses during his bloody anti-drug campaign that killed thousands.
The former president labeled his arrest illegal and equated it with kidnapping. Sara Duterte has blamed President Marcos for treason against national sovereignty by letting the former president be turned over to an international court. Marcos denies any treason.
In spite of his incarceration, Rodrigo Duterte is also set to be elected mayor in a landslide in Davao City, his political bailiwick, with his son also poised to be named vice mayor — an indicator that the brand Duterte is still firmly entrenched in some parts.
University of Makati political analyst Ederson Tapia stated, “Though Marcos will now have influence in the Senate, fragmentation is inevitable as politicians maneuver for 2028. Duterte’s influence is weakened but not eliminated.
With Marcos constrained to a single term as president, the 2028 election is already looming large. The midterms have not only redrawn the map of power but also laid the groundwork for a long-term political battle between two of the Philippines’ most powerful dynasties.
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