Clarita Alia trembled in anger when asked about the likelihood that the mayor of her home city of Davao in the southern Philippines could soon be the country’s next president.
Her worst fears have come true.
At press time, tough-talking Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, 71, was declared the winner for the next president of the Philippines. He has vowed to kill criminals and rid the government of corruption.
Although the official result has not yet been declared, main rival Mar Roxas admitted defeat after polls gave Mr Duterte an unassailable lead, tallied by the Parish Pastoral Council on Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
Third-place finisher Senator Grace Poe, who received 8.42 million votes, conceded defeat late Monday to Duterte.
Duterte, nicknamed “the Punisher” for his tough talk against crime, shocked the country during the campaign as he often cursed in his speeches and even joked about rape.
