Elections in the Philippines: In progress the process

Voters in the Philippines come to the ballot in the interim elections, which have turned into a match between the two dynasties in power: on one side is President Ferdinand Markos the youngest, in the other is Sarah Duterte’s vice -president, his former ally.

Although thousands of municipalities and seats in the Lower House are also at stake, the Senate elections are monopolized, given their decisive consequences ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

It will be judged or not to be detected by Duterte

With their 12 colleagues already in the upper parliament of the Archipelago, the 12 senators who will be elected today will form the body of the jurors in the trial that will decide whether or not Sarah Duterte will be abolished; the procedure is projected to take place in July and will judge whether the person will be deprived of it.

In February, the Lower House was already in favor of its deportation due to suspicions against her for very serious criminal offenses: from corruption as a plan of assassination by President Markos.

Ms. Duterte will need nine senators from the 24 in the upper parliament to keep her hopes alive alive that she will be able to be a candidate in the presidential elections – under normal circumstances the following will take place in 2028.

Sarah Duterte initially sought to succeed her father in the 2022 presidential election, but withdrew to the benefit of Ferdinand Markos of the younger, son of the homonymous dictator (1965-1986); he allied with him and was elected vice-president.

Philippines: How did the political marriage collapse of the two rival dynasties

But the political marriage of the two rival dynasties has quickly collapsed and their conflicts have been monopolized in place in recent months.

In November 2024, during an explosive press conference, Mrs Duterte revealed that he ordered the state leader to be assassinated if she was murdered. He then denied that it was a threat of death, argued that it was an expression of her despair in front of the failures of President Markos of the younger.

Of the 12 favorites in the Senate seats, seven are supported by President Markos, four by Vice President Duterte – among them the president’s own sister, Aimi Mark.

At her latest election event, on Thursday in Manila, Mrs Duterte warned against « mass adulteration » and once again described the transfer of Rodrigo Duterte’s father to the International Criminal Court.

The former president (2016-2022) was arrested and taken to the Hague court in the Netherlands. He is accused of crimes against humanity for his multi -faceted campaign against traffickers and drugs.

Although a prisoner, Mr. Duterte is a candidate in the family fortress, in Davao (south), where he wants to return to his old post, the mayor. At least one local poll predicts that it will win it.

On foot police and army

In the whole of the archipelago, more than 18,000 posts are judged. The process has begun from 07:00 (local time; at 02:00 Greek time).

Police have been on alert across the country, as reported by RES, citing AFP. Some 163,000 members have been developed to guarantee the safety of the electoral departments, accompanying electoral representatives or set up controls.

Units of the Armed Forces as well as the Fire Brigade have also been mobilized to prevent the risk of violence.

A candidate for the local elections, electoral representative, a mayor in a village and another 13 people were already assassinated in attacks in view of today’s elections.

Yesterday two members of the « armed group », among them a candidate for a municipal councilor, were killed in an exchange of fire with police and soldiers in the autonomous Muslim area on the island of Midanao (south), an area that is historically marked by bloody episodes.

Also on Saturday, a group of men were arrested at Tsebu Airport (central) with millions of euros in cash – criminal offense under electoral law in order to prevent bribes and acquisitions of votes.

Investigations are being carried out in both cases, according to police.

Yesterday at least two people were killed in a clash between fans of opposing camps on the island of Mindanao, according to the army.

An official in the autonomous Bansamoro District spoke by phone about four dead.