Grapevine

Duterte legacy in the balance as he seeks return to Davao stronghold

The end of a renewed ‘drug war’ and arrest of a pastor allied with Duterte signal the former president’s waning influence.

Davao, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte has registered to run for his past position as mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao, in a potential last-ditch effort to save his family’s faltering political dynasty.

The influence of the former president, notorious for his brutal “war on drugs” that saw thousands of extrajudicial killings, has waned in recent months after his family’s alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr began to unravel.

Duterte’s son, current Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte, will be his father’s running mate.

The powerhouse political family supported Marcos Jr’s successful presidential bid in 2022, but the alliance between the two families has unravelled in recent months.