DAVAO CITY – Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte urged his son, Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II, to do his job well as councilor and acting vice mayor here.

“He (Councilor Duterte) should do his job well. As my father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, always said, ‘You make your history,’” Rep. Duterte said during a meeting with Duterte supporters outside the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands on July 2.

Rep. Duterte emphasized the importance of public accountability and hard work within his family.

“If he doesn’t do his job properly, the people of Davao City won’t vote for him in the next election,” the lawmaker warned.

He said as a father, he is proud to see his son stepping into public service.

“Of course, as his father, I am happy that someone is following in our footsteps to serve Davaoeños. But he needs to do it right, because this is his future we are talking about,” Rep. Duterte said.

Councilor Duterte is the latest in a long line of Dutertes to publicly serve Davao City.

But according to Rep. Duterte, legacy alone is not enough. “Work hard, or lose the people’s trust,” Rep. Duterte said.

The Duterte family has been a fixture in Davao City politics for decades, with former President Duterte serving as mayor for over 20 years, followed by several of his children.

Rigo, being the No. 1 councilor, became acting vice mayor, and his uncle, Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte, is now acting mayor due to the absence of the Duterte patriarch, who has not taken his oath of office due to his continued detention at The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity.

Acting Vice Mayor Duterte, during his first speech as a local government official recently, vowed to do his best and deliver transparency, progress, and service to the people here.