Daughter’s win shows Duterte is still admired

Manila – Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could face international charges over his deadly drug war, but his daughter’s thumping victory in the vice-presidential race shows his popularity remains sky-high.

Sara Duterte secured more than half the votes in Monday’s election, a ringing endorsement for the family name that has become a byword for brutality and impunity in the poverty-plagued country.

More than 6 200 people have officially died in Duterte’s anti-narcotics campaign since he came to power in 2016.

However, rights groups estimate that the true figure is in the tens of thousands.

While the deaths have been widely condemned and triggered an International Criminal Court probe, Duterte’s swift brand of justice struck a chord with many Filipinos fed up with the bureaucracy, corruption and dysfunction that affects their daily lives.

That popularity has rubbed off on his daughter, who supporters see as a safe pair of hands to continue his legacy – and protect him from potential criminal charges in the Philippines or abroad when he leaves office.

Sara Duterte’s success in the election on Monday cements the family’s place at the centre of politics for another six years and ensures the Duterte name stays on the list of powerful political dynasties.

With her running mate Ferdinand Marcos Junior capturing the presidency, the two offspring of authoritarian leaders have been elevated to the nation’s highest elected positions.

On the campaign trail, they embraced many of the elder Duterte’s policies, alarming human rights activists, journalists and religious leaders.

Duterte, 43, had once been tipped to try to succeed her father in the presidential palace as voter surveys last year put her well in front of other possible contenders, including Marcos Junior.

But she stunned political observers – and apparently her dad – by striking a deal with the son of the country’s former dictator and instead running for the deputy’s job.

When Duterte walked armin-arm with Marcos Junior at a society wedding near Manila last November, Filipinos knew a political marriage had also been sealed.

The arrangement also brought together several powerful families that control swathes of the Philippines and have the means to direct voters to support their chosen candidate. –