Duterte expected to strengthen clout after Philippine mid-term 'referendum'

By Martin Petty
MANILA, May 13 (Reuters) - Voting was underway in the
Philippines on Monday in mid-term elections seen as a referendum
on the rule of maverick President Rodrigo Duterte, who looks set
to strengthen his grip on power and further marginalise a
dwindling opposition.
Nearly 62 million of the country's 107 million population
are registered to vote in a massive nationwide ballot for 18,000
posts, among them more than 200 mayors and governors and 245
seats in a lower house in which Duterte is all but certain to
retain his huge majority.
The most important race is for the 12 available slots in the
24-seat Senate, a less-partisan chamber until now seen as a
crucial check on power and a bulwark against the Duterte
administration's political dominance.
Opinion polls indicate that candidates backed by Duterte
will prevail, the latest putting 11 or 12 of his allies among
the 15 seen as having a chance. Only one opposition candidate
was among the 15, demonstrating what analysts say is Duterte's
growing clout and an opposition struggling with relevance,
cohesion and leadership.
"Duterte's number one objective is to consolidate power...
He'll get a big mandate, maybe even possible three-fourths of
the Senate," said political analyst Ramon Casiple.
"The opposition may not even get one seat and that would be
a record. A complete shutout."
There were no indications of significant violence on poll
day, but there were widespread reports of vote-buying and
breakdowns in electronic voting machines.
Duterte won the 2016 presidential election by a big margin
as an alternative candidate and a no-nonsense newcomer on a
national stage traditionally held by Manila elites, powerful
dynasties or famous politicians tainted by scandals.
He has built on that to boost the latter half of his
presidency, bringing on board household names and recruiting a
powerful surrogate in his daughter Sara Duterte, in what is
being seen as an early succession move. A Senate majority and opposition absence would allow his
allies to horse-trade with independents, lessening the chance of
censure and Senate probes, and making it easier to pass
controversial legislation like restoring capital punishment, and
changing the constitution to introduce federalism, and possibly
extend term limits.
Experts say the dominance of social media space by his
administration and his supporters has made Duterte almost
untouchable, despite a war on drugs that has killed thousands of
people, accusations of misogyny and insulting the church, last
year's spirally inflation, and indifference towards rival
China's militarisation in the South China Sea.
"Crucially, today's vote also depends on where one stands
with regard to President Duterte," the Philippines Daily
Inquirer's editorial said.
"The outcome of today's exercise depends on our own
estimation of how well, or how badly, Duterte rule has been for
this country."

(Editing by Michael Perry)