Detained in The Hague Duterte pursues a political comeback at home

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte has been kept in a cell in The Hague for more than three weeks on charges of crimes against humanity for the deadly anti-drug campaigns he oversaw in the Philippines.

But the former Philippine president is still on the ballot in elections for the post of mayor in his home base in May, a race that political analysts say he stands a good chance of winning. A wave of sympathy for him has also prompted candidates in other races to express support for him.

Even from a distance, he still draws crowds.

Thousands of people dressed in the green associated with his political party flooded the streets of Davao City, in the southern Philippines, on March 28, turning an 80th birthday celebration for Duterte into an enormous political rally.

Other rallies took place across the Philippines and abroad – including outside the detention centre at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands where he is being held after having been arrested on March 11.

In Davao, Duterte remains widely popular, remembered for cracking down on problems like drugs, petty crime and violence.

“Why is the man who saved us the one in jail?” asked Mr Joel Valles, 46, who joined the rally in March with his mother Proferia Valles, 84.

The restaurant the Valleses run in Davao City, Sana’s Original Kabawan and Bulaloan, was a favourite hangout of Duterte’s and is adorned with photographs of the former president and his children.

Like many business owners in Davao, Mr Valles said he had closed early so his employees could attend the gathering.

Many people brought cakes and large cardboard cutouts with pictures of Duterte to the rally. A concert followed, with singers and local politicians appearing onstage until midnight.

As mayor, Duterte was lionised