‘Raging optimism’ from Imee Marcos, as Duterte’s win in Philippine midterm elections boosts death penalty plan

A landslide victory for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in midterm polls – confirmed by official results on Wednesday – has cleared the way for the controversial leader to push on with plans to reintroduce the death penalty and introduce a federal system of government.

Duterte’s stronger hand in the senate in particular is likely to prove useful in helping him to push through the reforms. During his first three years in power, Duterte had faced opposition from the senate on policies including the introduction of martial law in the south of the country and on human rights issues. In contrast, the lower house has already given the nod to legislation to revive the death penalty and amend the constitution.

Among the senators Duterte will now be able to rely on are his long-time personal aide Christopher “Bong” Go and his trusted retired national police chief, Ronald dela Rosa, who led the early stages of the president’s controversial war on drugs that since 2016 has left more than 5,000 people dead on official estimates – and almost four times that number according to rights groups.

Another notable senator-elect is Imee Marcos, the daughter of the late president Ferdinand Marcos and first lady Imelda. Imelda Marcos was last year sentenced to decades in jail on corruption charges.