By Agence France-Presse, Vanne Elaine Terrazola, and Charissa Atienza
President Duterte’s allies were poised for victory in the May 13 midterm elections, partial unofficial results showed Tuesday, signaling firm approval of his rule and clearing a path for his most controversial plans.
President Rodrigo Duterte shows the ink on his finger after voting in Davao City, Mindanao on May 13, 2019.
(Photo by Manman Dejeto / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN) Duterte’s deadly war on illegal drugs has drawn international censure but is central to the populist appeal that has buoyed his remarkable popularity among Filipinos since taking the presidency in 2016. In Monday's vote, administration loyalist candidates for the Senate were headed for a resounding election win, according to data released by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a Catholic-run poll monitor accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to tally votes. With 94 percent of ballots counted early Tuesday, Duterte allies were on track to take nine of 12 open seats in Senate, which has been a bulwark against some of the president's most controversial proposals. In the latest partial unofficial count, re-electionist Sen. Cynthia Villar continues to lead the pack. Also in the magic 12 are” Sen. Grace Poe, former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go, Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano, ex-police general Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Sen. Sonny Angara, former senator Lito Lapid, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, and Sen. Nancy Binay. Re-electionist Sen. JV Ejercito is ranked 13th, so far. Of those in the winning circle, four are members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) chaired by President Duterte. They are Go, Dela Rosa, Pimentel, and Tolentino. Five others are supportive of the Duterte administration. They are: Villar, Cayetano, and Marcos, all of the Nacionalista Party; Angara (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino); and Revilla, of Lakas-CMD but was endorsed by Hugpong ng Pagbabago regional party of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Meanwhile, Poe is an independent candidate, while Binay belongs to the United Nationalist Alliance. Official, complete results from the Comelec are expected in the coming days. Historically, the nation's 24 senators – who serve six-year terms – have had a reputation for being more independent-minded than the House of Representatives. As part of his drug crackdown that has killed more than 5,000 people, Duterte has pledged to bring back the death penalty and lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12. The Philippines outlawed capital punishment in 1987, reinstated it six years later and then abolished it again in 2006. He also promised to rewrite the nation's constitution to create a federal republic where regions would be given more power to tackle the nation's deep-rooted poverty. However, opponents see those plans as an effort to extend his hold on power or weaken the nation's democratic institutions. “This election just gave Duterte carte blanche to push his brand of governance to its logical conclusion: complete transformation of the nation's political system,” analyst Richard Heydarian told AFP. More than 18,000 positions were at stake in the vote, primarily local posts, but also half the Senate and nearly 300 seats in the House of Representatives. The polls saw isolated outbursts of violence, which is not unusual in the Philippines' frequently bloody competition for elected seats. At least 20 people were killed and 24 wounded in election-related violence in the run-up to the vote, according to an official count. The military said nine people were shot and wounded Monday during a confrontation at a polling station on the southern island of Jolo, which is home to insurgents and powerful local clans. Turnout was steady throughout the day and voters across the country flooded social media with images of their ink-stained fingernails, which are daubed blue as protection against voter fraud. “I voted for many of the candidates endorsed by President Duterte because his government is doing its job,” voter Myrna Cruz, 51, told AFP in Manila. “I support their programs, including the anti-drug campaign... but I wish the bloodshed would stop,” she added, echoing many Filipinos' nuanced backing of the crackdown. Duterte, 74, hit the campaign trail to get his supporters into the Senate, giving two-hour speeches at late-night rallies and routinely insulting opponents. The opposition warns constitutional change could lead to the single-term limit for the presidency being lifted, allowing Duterte to prolong his rule despite his repeated statements that he would stand down at the end of his mandate. Even if the presidential term limit is not lifted, the Duterte family looks well-placed to prolong its political power. The president's daughter Sara – eyed by some as his potential successor in the 2022 vote – was poised to keep her post as mayor in the family's southern bailiwick of Davao city. Her younger brother Sebastian ran unopposed for the city's vice-mayoral seat, while Duterte's eldest son Paolo was on track for a seat in the House of Representatives, PPCRV data showed. “If you agree with me then you can vote for my candidates,” Duterte, who was not on the ballot, told reporters after casting his vote. “If I am repudiated by the loss of all my candidates... that's that,” he added. Gubernatorial race In the gubernatorial race, candidates allied with President Duterte are poised to win all but two provinces, reflecting the widespread support enjoyed by the 74-year-old tough-talking chief executive. Duterte’s PDP-Laban is winning 41 of 81 provinces with National Unity Party (NUP) and Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) set to win in eight provinces each, according to the unofficial tally of ABS-CBN Halalan 2019. Nacionalista Party, which like NUP and NPC support the administration, has candidates winning in seven provinces. “We can attribute this to the people’s support to Duterte’s programs,” said outgoing Rep. Ben Evardone who ran and won as governor of Eastern Samar under PDP-Laban. Among the PDP-Laban candidates winning in their respective areas are Arthur Defensor Jr. in Iloilo, Jun Ebdane in Zambales, Dodo Mandanas in Batangas and Arthur Yap in Bohol. Outgoing Senator Chiz Escudero, running under the NPC banner, is set to be proclaimed Sorsogon governor. There are three independent candidates leading the race in their respective provinces. They are Manuel Mamba in Cagayan, Douglas Cagas in Davao del Sur and Nonoy Evan Contreras in Capiz. All are perceived to be supporters of the administration. Only two provinces voted for the opposition. Liberal Party bets Marilou Cayco and Kaka Bag-Ao are winning in Batanes and Dinagat Islands, respectively. Eight candidates ran unopposed. They are Eleanor Bulut-Begtang of Apayao (PDP-Laban), Jayvee Tyron Uy (HNP) of Compostela Valley, Claude Bautista (HNP) of Davao Oriental, Wilson Dayanghirang (NP) of Davao Oriental, Matthew Marcos Manotoc (NP) of Ilocos Norte, Edwin Ong Ongchuan (NUP) of Northern Samar, Dax Cua (PDP-Laban) of Quirino and Susan Yap (NPC) of Tarlac.
President Rodrigo Duterte shows the ink on his finger after voting in Davao City, Mindanao on May 13, 2019.(Photo by Manman Dejeto / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN) Duterte’s deadly war on illegal drugs has drawn international censure but is central to the populist appeal that has buoyed his remarkable popularity among Filipinos since taking the presidency in 2016. In Monday's vote, administration loyalist candidates for the Senate were headed for a resounding election win, according to data released by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a Catholic-run poll monitor accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to tally votes. With 94 percent of ballots counted early Tuesday, Duterte allies were on track to take nine of 12 open seats in Senate, which has been a bulwark against some of the president's most controversial proposals. In the latest partial unofficial count, re-electionist Sen. Cynthia Villar continues to lead the pack. Also in the magic 12 are” Sen. Grace Poe, former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go, Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano, ex-police general Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Sen. Sonny Angara, former senator Lito Lapid, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, and Sen. Nancy Binay. Re-electionist Sen. JV Ejercito is ranked 13th, so far. Of those in the winning circle, four are members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) chaired by President Duterte. They are Go, Dela Rosa, Pimentel, and Tolentino. Five others are supportive of the Duterte administration. They are: Villar, Cayetano, and Marcos, all of the Nacionalista Party; Angara (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino); and Revilla, of Lakas-CMD but was endorsed by Hugpong ng Pagbabago regional party of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Meanwhile, Poe is an independent candidate, while Binay belongs to the United Nationalist Alliance. Official, complete results from the Comelec are expected in the coming days. Historically, the nation's 24 senators – who serve six-year terms – have had a reputation for being more independent-minded than the House of Representatives. As part of his drug crackdown that has killed more than 5,000 people, Duterte has pledged to bring back the death penalty and lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12. The Philippines outlawed capital punishment in 1987, reinstated it six years later and then abolished it again in 2006. He also promised to rewrite the nation's constitution to create a federal republic where regions would be given more power to tackle the nation's deep-rooted poverty. However, opponents see those plans as an effort to extend his hold on power or weaken the nation's democratic institutions. “This election just gave Duterte carte blanche to push his brand of governance to its logical conclusion: complete transformation of the nation's political system,” analyst Richard Heydarian told AFP. More than 18,000 positions were at stake in the vote, primarily local posts, but also half the Senate and nearly 300 seats in the House of Representatives. The polls saw isolated outbursts of violence, which is not unusual in the Philippines' frequently bloody competition for elected seats. At least 20 people were killed and 24 wounded in election-related violence in the run-up to the vote, according to an official count. The military said nine people were shot and wounded Monday during a confrontation at a polling station on the southern island of Jolo, which is home to insurgents and powerful local clans. Turnout was steady throughout the day and voters across the country flooded social media with images of their ink-stained fingernails, which are daubed blue as protection against voter fraud. “I voted for many of the candidates endorsed by President Duterte because his government is doing its job,” voter Myrna Cruz, 51, told AFP in Manila. “I support their programs, including the anti-drug campaign... but I wish the bloodshed would stop,” she added, echoing many Filipinos' nuanced backing of the crackdown. Duterte, 74, hit the campaign trail to get his supporters into the Senate, giving two-hour speeches at late-night rallies and routinely insulting opponents. The opposition warns constitutional change could lead to the single-term limit for the presidency being lifted, allowing Duterte to prolong his rule despite his repeated statements that he would stand down at the end of his mandate. Even if the presidential term limit is not lifted, the Duterte family looks well-placed to prolong its political power. The president's daughter Sara – eyed by some as his potential successor in the 2022 vote – was poised to keep her post as mayor in the family's southern bailiwick of Davao city. Her younger brother Sebastian ran unopposed for the city's vice-mayoral seat, while Duterte's eldest son Paolo was on track for a seat in the House of Representatives, PPCRV data showed. “If you agree with me then you can vote for my candidates,” Duterte, who was not on the ballot, told reporters after casting his vote. “If I am repudiated by the loss of all my candidates... that's that,” he added. Gubernatorial race In the gubernatorial race, candidates allied with President Duterte are poised to win all but two provinces, reflecting the widespread support enjoyed by the 74-year-old tough-talking chief executive. Duterte’s PDP-Laban is winning 41 of 81 provinces with National Unity Party (NUP) and Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) set to win in eight provinces each, according to the unofficial tally of ABS-CBN Halalan 2019. Nacionalista Party, which like NUP and NPC support the administration, has candidates winning in seven provinces. “We can attribute this to the people’s support to Duterte’s programs,” said outgoing Rep. Ben Evardone who ran and won as governor of Eastern Samar under PDP-Laban. Among the PDP-Laban candidates winning in their respective areas are Arthur Defensor Jr. in Iloilo, Jun Ebdane in Zambales, Dodo Mandanas in Batangas and Arthur Yap in Bohol. Outgoing Senator Chiz Escudero, running under the NPC banner, is set to be proclaimed Sorsogon governor. There are three independent candidates leading the race in their respective provinces. They are Manuel Mamba in Cagayan, Douglas Cagas in Davao del Sur and Nonoy Evan Contreras in Capiz. All are perceived to be supporters of the administration. Only two provinces voted for the opposition. Liberal Party bets Marilou Cayco and Kaka Bag-Ao are winning in Batanes and Dinagat Islands, respectively. Eight candidates ran unopposed. They are Eleanor Bulut-Begtang of Apayao (PDP-Laban), Jayvee Tyron Uy (HNP) of Compostela Valley, Claude Bautista (HNP) of Davao Oriental, Wilson Dayanghirang (NP) of Davao Oriental, Matthew Marcos Manotoc (NP) of Ilocos Norte, Edwin Ong Ongchuan (NUP) of Northern Samar, Dax Cua (PDP-Laban) of Quirino and Susan Yap (NPC) of Tarlac.