Candidates supporting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte are on track to win the majority of Senate seats up for grab in midterm elections on Monday, according to local media.
Half of the 24-seat upper house Senate, all spots in the lower house and local government positions, including governors and mayors, are at stake.
The midterms -- which mark the halfway point in a president's six-year tenure -- are seen as a referendum on Duterte's hardline anti-crime policies.
In his election campaign, Duterte stressed that his crackdown on drug-related crimes has created a safer society since he took office three years ago.
Duterte is expected to step up his anti-crime campaign and consolidate his power further during the second half of his presidency.
Official results of the election will be confirmed in several days.
NHK
