Talk show hosts, movie stars and a preacher jailed on sex-trafficking charges are among the candidates vying for a dozen open Senate seats.
The vice president, whose alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos has imploded spectacularly, was impeached by the House of Representatives last week on charges of “violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes”.
“The composition of the next Senate will be crucial” to the trial’s outcome, Dennis Coronacion, head of the political science department of Manila’s University of Santo Tomas, told AFP.
That message resonated with Gina Tamayo, a 43-year-old fruit vendor, who told AFP she would not support a candidate who might vote to impeach Duterte.
But Charity Vargas, 39, said her vote would not be influenced by the impeachment issue.
Harassment ‘or worse’
Electioneering will kick into higher gear next month when candidates for the remaining 254 House seats and thousands of local positions launch their bids for office.
With control over local purse strings in the balance, even lower-level elected offices can be bitterly contested, with occasionally deadly results.
Police spokeswoman Colonel Jean Fajardo told reporters last month that three to five “private armed groups” that were backing politicians she did not identify were being monitored.
In the 2022 presidential election, police said three security guards and one voter were shot dead in separate incidents on the southern island of Mindanao.
Popularity contest
But the contest for Senate seats often boils down to name recognition, something polls suggest will continue.
Former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is looking to return to the Senate on a slate backed by President Marcos, whose sister Imee is polling well after early struggles.
In the southern city of Davao, multiple Duterte family members will seek office as they attempt to maintain control of their traditional stronghold.
If he wins, he could be joined at city hall by his son Sebastian, who is seeking to become vice mayor.
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