Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not be able to cast his vote in this year’s midterm elections, as he is not registered as an overseas voter, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco clarified that overseas voting is strictly reserved for those registered under the Overseas Voting Act of 2013 (Republic Act 10590). “A registered voter must manifest his intention to move to overseas voting during the period for registration,” Laudiangco explained in a message to Philstar.com on Monday, May 12.
The clarification followed Vice President Sara Duterte’s expression of disappointment over her father’s situation. Speaking to reporters in Davao City, she revealed that Duterte’s legal team attempted to seek Comelec’s permission to allow the former president to vote outside the regular absentee voting process. However, their request was denied due to his lack of overseas voter registration.
“I am sure he is sad,” the vice president said.
Duterte is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s controversial war on drugs. Despite his detention, he remains a candidate for the Davao City mayoralty in the ongoing elections, with his candidacy remaining valid unless he is convicted with finality.
The midterm elections have taken on added significance as a battle for political influence between the Marcos and Duterte camps, with the PDP-Laban slate—comprising Duterte’s allies—framing the polls as a fight against alleged political repression.
