The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte will not affect his bid for mayor in Davao City, the Commission on Elections-Davao (COMELEC-11) said.

COMELEC-11 said Duterte will remain in the list of candidates because there is no disqualification case filed against him and he has not withdrawn his candidacy.

“Candidate gihapon siya. Wala may disqualification case against sa iyaha. Wala pud sya nag-withdraw, candidate gihapon siya,” COMELEC-11 Assistant Regional Director, Atty. Gay Enumerables, said.

Duterte was arrested on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, by virtue of a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the killings during his administration's war against illegal drugs.

He has entered the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison in the Netherlands where he is set to be held while awaiting trial.

Duterte’s allies and supporters in Davao City maintained that the former President is innocent and his right to vote and be elected remains.

“Inosente pa gihapon si Mayor Rody, igo lang sya nafile-lan og kaso. Ang katungod, ang right to suffrage ug ang right to be elected, wala pa mawala. Kandidato gihapon si Mayor Rody,” Barangay Communal Councilman Mark Galvez said.

“Walay basis of disqualification. Gani, walay statement of disqualification ang COMELEC. The only way to disqualify a candidate, kung naay verdict, naa nay ruling ang korte. So, as now, wala pamay verdict, still innocent pa si PRRD. So, likayan nato mutuo anang fake news and we hope na dili sya madisqualify kay there’s no grounds to disqualify PRRD,” Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre said.