The Philippine National Police (PNP) filed a criminal complaint against former president Rodrigo Duterte over his alleged threat to kill incumbent senators, some of whom were campaigning under the ticket of his successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is facing a criminal complaint Monday over comments he made during a campaign rally when he said 15 senators should be killed in a bombing to allow more vacant seats for his own party's candidates to fill.

As the Philippines geared up for mid-term elections in May, social media users shared an edited video to falsely claim the audience at a rally of candidates backed by President Ferdinand Marcos in February chanted the name of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.

The Marcos and Duterte families dominate politics in the Philippines, and elections in the country can be as much a battle of personalities and factional interests as of policy.

Criminal complaints have been filed by Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) chief, on Monday, against former President Rodrigo Duterte over his “kill” and “bomb” remarks against senators.