Ex-president Duterte eyes return to Davao politics

Metro Manila, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte is poised to return to local politics and will bid for a mayoralty post in his bailiwick Davao City.

Duterte filed his candidacy at the local Commission on Elections site, Sen. Bong Go, his former aide, shared on Facebook on Monday, Oct. 7.

Duterte’s running mate is his son Sebastian, the incumbent mayor.

Vice President Sara hinted in June that her father and either of her brothers will seek a Senate seat. The former president and his sons Sebastian and Paolo, Davao City’s 1st district representative, have figured in pre-election surveys for the senatorial race.

Duterte has been known for his no-nonsense talk, machismo, and closeness to China.

He led the bloody war on drugs, killing thousands of mostly poor drug suspects. The anti-drug campaign is now under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

Duterte was a former Davao mayor before he won the presidency in 2016. He was mayor from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010, then 2013 to 2016.