In his program “Special Hour with Mayor Baste Duterte” broadcast over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), he said that his father is doing fine although they have neither met nor talked since the former President arrived here from Manila last June 30.
“He is enjoying his retirement. Let PRRD (President Rodrigo R. Duterte) retire. He is doing okay,” he said.
According to him, the former President has not discussed any plans to seek a local position in the next elections but added that he, who served as vice mayor here from 2019 to 2022, would give way to “our beloved former President.”
Last June 30, the former President, in his first public appearance as a private citizen during the "Salamat Tatay Digong, A Homecoming Concert" at NCCC Mall VP here, thanked Dabawenyos for supporting him and his children, which allowed his family to govern this city for more than three decades.
The former President’s children with ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman have been elected to key government posts: Vice President Mayor Sara Duterte, re-elected Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, and Mayor Duterte.
The 77-year-old Duterte started his political career in this city where he served as mayor for 22 years.
Before being elected president in 2016, Duterte served as mayor from 1988 to 1998, representative of the first district from 1998 to 2001, mayor from 2001 to 2010, vice mayor from 2010 to 2013, and mayor from 2013 to 2016.
Prior to her election as the country’s second highest official, Vice President Duterte served as vice mayor of this city from 2007 to 2010 and mayor here from 2010 to 2013 and 2016 to 2022.
Her eldest brother Paolo served chairman of Barangay Catalunan Grande, this city, from 2007 to 2013, city councilor as a sectoral representative of the Association Barangay Captains of Davao City from 2008 to 2013, and vice mayor from 2013 until he resigned in December 2017 after he and brother-in-law lawyer Manases Carpio were among those implicated as members of the so-called “Davao Group” which was reportedly behind the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling in May that year.