MANILA – Former president and now Davao City mayoral candidate Rodrigo Duterte is sad to miss the opportunity to vote in the 2025 midterm elections due to his detention in The Hague in Netherlands.
According to Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, her father failed to exercise his right to vote on Monday as he was unable to register for overseas voting while in detention abroad.
“Unfortunately, he was unable to exercise his right to vote. He is sad about that,” Duterte-Carpio told the media after casting her vote at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Davao City.
“The lawyers tried to ask the Commission on Elections to allow the former President to vote even if he was not registered as an overseas absentee voter but the petition did not prosper,” she added.
The former President is currently detained at The Hague following the issuance of a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court in relation to his alleged crimes against humanity related to his deadly “war on drugs.”
He made his first appearance before the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber 1 on March 14 for the verification of his identity and was informed of the charges against him and of his rights under the ICC Rome Statute. He will appear again for the confirmation of charges on September 23.
Meanwhile, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair George Garcia said if the Duterte patriarch wins eighth mayoralty term, they will proclaim him winner in absentia.
“Sa batas natin, kapag yung local chief executive hindi kaagad nag-qualify, yung vice mayor, vice governor shall act in acting capacity,” Garcia said in an interview on Monday.
Garcia added that the former President will be proclaimed in absentia but to qualify for his post, he has to take his oath of office as elected mayor before June 30.
Duterte-Carpio also stressed that they are already discussing with lawyer on how the elder Duterte can take his oath while inside detention if ever he wins against Karlo Nograles.
“Definitely yes. Wala talaga siya dito,” the Vice President said, adding that the Local Government Code has rules on letting the vice mayor assume office while the mayor is away.
“We are discussing with lawyers on how he can take his oath. We still have until noon of June 30 para siya maka-oath,” Duterte-Carpio added./PN
