13/05/2025

TUESDAY | MAY 13, 2025

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Filipinos vote in high stakes midterm polls

o Marcos seeks to consolidate power

unfair trade conditions. The conclusions the Democracy Perception Index survey, conducted between April 9 and 23 with polling firm Nira Data, were based on more than 111,000 respondents worldwide, the Alliance said. The perception of Trump was negative in 82 of the 100 countries surveyed, higher than Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who were viewed negatively in 61 and 44 countries, respectively. The survey also ranked the perception of countries from -100% to +100%. The net perception rating of the United States fell to -5% from +22% last year, indicating a greater number of respondents with a negative view compared with those with a positive view. The share of countries with a positive image of the US dropped to 45% from 76% last year, the survey showed. For China, the net perception rose to +14% this year from +5% last year, the survey found. The report was published ahead of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which takes place today and tomorrow. – Reuters in and political clout that can shape public opinion and sink presidential ambitions. Marcos and Duterte cast their votes early yesterday in their home towns. Duterte told reporters she had recently spoken with her father, who is detained in The Hague and facing trial at the International Criminal Court over his “war on drugs”. She said she told him that more than two of his 10 endorsed Senate candidates were likely to win. Among the 10 is the former police chief who oversaw the drugs war, during which thousands were killed. “This election is more than an informal referendum on the Marcos administration,” said Aries Arugay, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. “The Senate race is the key proxy battle ... Marcos needs to retain a majority, or super majority, to push forward his legislative and economic agenda.” Local media reported that voting was generally proceeding as expected, aside from some delays caused by glitches in the vote counting machines. The election has a new significance after the collapse of the once formidable alliance between the Marcos and Duterte dynasties and the dramatic fall from grace of the popular Duterte family, which has

COPENHAGEN: Global perceptions of the United States have deteriorated across the world over the past year and are now worse than views of China, according to an annual study of perceptions of democracy published yesterday. The survey did not go into details on the criteria used, but the Alliance of Democracies Foundation which commissioned it says its aim is to defend and advance democratic values. When asked why perceptions of the US had slipped, Alliance founder and former Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “President Trump has triggered a trade war, scolded Ukraine’s president in the Oval Office, left allies feeling vulnerable and enemies emboldened. “It’s no surprise that opinions have slipped even among people like me who spent their lives admiring the United States and what it stood for.” Trump has said he is pushing for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine and on Thursday called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire between the two countries. He has also said that tariffs are defending the US economy against what his administration sees as MANILA: Midterm elections took place in the Philippines yesterday that showcased an emotionally charged proxy battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and ally-turned-foe, Vice-President Sara Duterte. Duterte and Marcos are not on the ballot for more than 18,000 positions but have been campaigning aggressively for their slates of candidates, as their bitter rivalry dominates a contest that could influence the future dynamic of power in the country of 110 million people. At stake for Marcos is his policy agenda, his legacy and influence over his succession in 2028, while Duterte’s political survival could ride on the vote, with an impeachment trial looming that could kill any future hopes of becoming president and following in the footsteps of father Rodrigo Duterte. While posts for mayors, governors and lower house lawmakers are up for grabs, the tussle for Marcos and Duterte is over a dozen coveted seats in the 24-member Senate, a chamber with sweeping legislative influence

Marcos Jr (right) and his mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos (in wheelchair) vote in Batac town. – AFPPIC

sentence would be carried out. South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997. Separately, prosecutors early this month indicted Yoon without detention for abuse of power over his martial law declaration. The indictment came a day after investigators also raided Yoon’s private residence as part of an investigation into bribery allegations involving his wife Kim Keon Hee and a shaman. On Sunday Yoon’s party, the ruling People Power Party, registered former labour minister Kim Moon-soo as its official presidential candidate, an election triggered by Yoon’s martial law declaration. Yoon wrote on Facebook that the June 3 election is a “matter of life and death for South Korea’s liberal democratic system”. – AFP materials left by the detonations. The area has been cleared to prevent further explosions. The blast is the second incident involving military ammunition in little over a year. In March last year, a massive fire broke out at an Indonesian military depot storing expired ammunition near Jakarta, causing a series of explosions. – Bernama on yesterday’s ballot for mayor in his hometown. Both Dutertes have denied wrongdoing and have challenged the cases against them. Marcos has distanced himself from the impeachment and rejects allegations of a vendetta against the Duterte family. He has touted economic gains and his defence of sovereignty, campaigning on his tough stand against Beijing’s conduct in the South China Sea, with China emerging as a political lightning rod in the election. – Reuters

office and a lifetime ban. At least 16 votes, a two-thirds majority, are needed to convict her. “Whatever happens with the impeachment, whether a guilty (verdict) or acquittal, I’m ready for whatever happens,” Duterte said after casting her vote. Fuelling the flames of an already charged race was Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest by Philippine police in March at the request of the ICC. Sara Duterte has accused Marcos of selling out sovereignty in giving up a former president to a foreign court. Despite his detention, Duterte was

accused of orchestrating a campaign to destroy the biggest challengers to his power. What began as a united front that swept the 2022 election unravelled into an acrimonious feud, marked by personal accusations and a bid to impeach Duterte on allegations she misused funds, amassed unexplained wealth and threatened the lives of the president, first lady and the house speaker. The Senate race is critical, with its members to become jurors if an impeachment trial goes ahead, where Duterte faces removal from the president

Global perceptions of US fall below China

Yoon in court again for criminal trial

SEOUL: Former president Yoon Suk Yeol (pic) appeared in court yesterday for another hearing as he defends himself against insurrection charges over his declaration of martial law. Yoon was stripped of

meaning he had to go past a media scrum for the first time. Dressed in a suit and red tie, Yoon walked past journalists without responding to questions. At previous hearings,

Yoon has spoken for more than 90 minutes, denying that he had committed insurrection. If found guilty, Yoon would become the third president to be found guilty of insurrection – after two military leaders in connection with a 1979 coup. For charges of

office last month after being impeached and suspended by lawmakers over his Dec 3 attempt to subvert civilian rule, which saw soldiers deployed to parliament. In January he became South Korea’s first sitting head of state to be arrested, although he was later released on procedural grounds.

insurrection, Yoon could be sentenced to life in prison or the maximum penalty: the death sentence. But it is highly unlikely that

Yoon was ordered by the Seoul court to attend trial and has been stripped of his right to enter through the underground parking lot,

Expired munition blast kills 13 JAKARTA: Thirteen people died in a blast yesterday during disposal of expired ammunition in West Java.

officers were finishing their disposal of the ammunition. The investigation will include how civilians were allowed so close to the detonation site, he said. The area where the blast happened is in a field where such detonations are routinely conducted, Kristomei said. Local residents typically gather after the disposals to collect scrap

Nine of the victims were civilians while four were military personnel, military spokesperson Kristomei Sianturi told Kompas TV , adding the military is investigating the incident. Wahyu Yudhayana, a second army spokesperson, said in a televised address the blast happened when