ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Campaigning began Tuesday ahead of the Philippines' upcoming midterm elections, with over 18,000 candidates vying for legislative, local, and regional posts.

Nearly 69 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the elections for 18,280 seats, including 317 members of the House of Representatives, half of the Senate's 24 seats, 82 governors, vice governors, and thousands of representatives for local and regional governments.

The elections, scheduled for May 12, come amid a political battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, who was impeached by the lower house of the Filipino parliament last week.

The daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte is accused of "violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes." She said she has no plans to resign.

The dispute began last year after Duterte accused Marcos of wanting her dead, alleging that he sees her as the "biggest threat" to his hopes of reelection in 2028.

Marcos and Duterte were running mates in the 2022 elections, winning a six-year term together.

However, the alliance has been upended in recent months, leading Duterte to resign last June from Marcos' Cabinet, where she held the education portfolio.