‘Raging optimism’ from Imee Marcos, as Duterte’s win in Philippine midterm elections boosts death penalty plan

A landslide victory for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in midterm polls – confirmed by official results on Wednesday – has cleared the way for the controversial leader to push on with plans to reintroduce the death penalty and introduce a federal system of government.Allies of Duterte won nine of the 12 seats on offer in the senate, the election commission confirmed, meaning he now has support of 20 out of the country’s 24 senators. Previously he controlled just half of the senate members…