Philippines: Duterte’s popularity propels his daughter to vice-president

Incumbent Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte may face international legal action for his bloody war on drugs, but his daughter’s resounding victory in the vice-presidential race proves that his popularity remains at the top.

Sara Duterte, 43, won Monday with more than half of the votes for the vice-presidential election, a separate presidential election which took place the same day.

This triumph reflects unequivocal support for a surname that has become synonymous with brutality and impunity in the Philippines, a country ravaged by poverty and violence.

According to official figures, more than 6,200 people have been killed in the anti-drug campaign led by Rodrigo Duterte since he became president in 2016. According to human rights organizations, the death toll is actually in the dozens. of thousands.

These extrajudicial executions of real or suspected drug traffickers have been widely condemned around the world and have triggered an investigation by the International Criminal Court. But Duterte’s swift justice has pleased many Filipinos tired of the bureaucracy, corruption and all kinds of dysfunctions that affect their daily lives.

The father’s popularity has rubbed off on his daughter, whom his supporters see as a secure heiress capable of protecting him from criminal prosecution after he leaves office on June 30.

The victory of Sara Duterte cements the place of the family at the heart of power for six additional years, even if the function of vice-president is essentially ceremonial.

– Political Dynasty –

It also guarantees that the name Duterte will remain on the list of powerful political dynasties in the Philippines.

With the election of Ferdinand Marcos Junior to the presidency, two children of authoritarian leaders find themselves elevated to the highest offices in the country.

During their respective campaigns, they showed their support for many of Duterte Sr.’s policies, which alarmed human rights activists, journalists and leaders of religious communities.

Everyone expected, at the start, that Sara Duterte would try to run for the presidency.

But to everyone’s amazement – and apparently also her father’s – she struck a deal with Ferdinand Marcos Junior, son of the former dictator of the same name and presidential candidate, and ran for vice-president. .

Already last November, when she had walked on the arm of Marcos Junior at the wedding of a powerful family near Manila, the symbol had not escaped the Filipinos: a political marriage had been sealed.

The arrangement involved several powerful political dynasties who control swaths of the country, and who have the means to persuade voters to support the candidate of their choice.

Analysts say the popularity of the Duterte clan in the southern Philippines played a crucial role in Marcos Jr.’s victory.

« Marcos’ lead is largely attributable to Sara Duterte and the power of the Dutertes, » said political analyst Richard Heydarian.

« I think we would have seen a completely different race if Sara Duterte had decided to run for president. It’s likely that Marcos wouldn’t have run at all, » he adds.

If she has a stormy relationship with her father, Sara Duterte has always remained in tune with him politically.

Known for her short temper – she notably punched a bailiff in front of TV cameras – she has a penchant for big motorcycles and tattoos.

She is married and has three children nicknamed « Sharkie », « Stingray » and « Stonefish », the first nickname referring to a « small shark », and the other two to fish with poisonous stingers.

She entered politics in 2007, becoming her father’s deputy for three years at the town hall of Davao, the family stronghold of the Dutertes. Father and daughter then swapped positions for the next three years, and Sarah Duterte became mayor again when Rodrigo was elected president in 2016.

She served as first lady on some of Mr. Duterte’s official trips abroad during his tenure.

She had also come to his defense during his 2016 campaign, when he caused international outcry by joking about an Australian missionary who was raped and murdered in a prison in Davao in 1989.

« This is not a joke. I am a victim of rape. But I will still vote for President Duterte, » she wrote in a post on Instagram, since deleted.