Former President Rodrigo Duterte was unable to cast his vote on Monday, Election Day, despite his lawyers’ efforts to convince the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow him to vote beyond the deadline for local absentee voting (LAV), according to his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
“He wasn’t able to vote because he’s not registered for absentee voting. From what I understand, his lawyers tried to convince Comelec to let him vote outside the absentee voting law, as that’s the only way for him to vote, but he’s not registered,” Vice President Duterte explained in a brief interview after casting her vote at Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Davao City.
“Unfortunately, he couldn’t exercise his right to vote this time, and I’m sure he’s sad about it,” she added.
However, Comelec Chair George Garcia denied reports that Duterte’s lawyers had asked for an exemption so he could vote overseas.
“We did not receive any such request,” Garcia said.
Duterte, who is in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, was aiming for a mayoral comeback in Davao City, a position he held for many years before becoming president in 2016.
He was arrested on 11 March in Manila, just six days before the LAV registration deadline.
The LAV allows certain voters, like military and police officers, government workers, and media personnel, to cast their ballots early.
Those registered under LAV were allowed to vote from 28 to 30 April, with ballot counting starting on 12 May, the same day as the midterm elections.
Duterte’s comeback bid was against his former Cabinet member, Karlo Nograles, whom he appointed Cabinet secretary and acting presidential spokesperson in 2018. In October 2024 Nograles vacated his post as Civil Service Commission chairperson to run for mayor of Davao City.
Despite his current legal challenges, Duterte remains a popular figure, as pre-election surveys showed.
Nograles, who ran as an independent, expressed his hope for a fair election outcome, stressing that the results should reflect the will of the people.