DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Council, in a unanimous decision on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 12, approved a resolution denouncing comedian Jose Mari Viceral – widely recognized as Vice Ganda – over his satirical comments that members said ridiculed former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, head of the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means, and Appropriations, authored the resolution, that highlighted the city’s pledge to uphold “respect, courtesy, and dignity for all individuals, particularly public servants who have served the nation with distinction.”

In a manifestation delivered during the regular session, Dayanghirang strongly condemned the television host and comedian’s satirical and derogatory comments toward former Duterte during a recent public performance.

The councilor described the portrayal as “not only an affront to him as a person, but an insult to the Davaoeños who hold him in the highest esteem.” All 23 councilors present – members of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan – voted in favor.

Dayanghirang emphasized the former Chief Executive’s decades of service to Davao City as mayor and later as the 16th president of the Philippines. He credited Duterte for transforming the city into “a model of peace, discipline, and progress.”

“We in Davao City are no strangers to humor and welcome healthy discourse. But what transpired was not political satire in the spirit of constructive criticism – it was a targeted insult,” Dayanghirang said during his speech before the council.

While acknowledging freedom of speech as a constitutional right, the councilor stressed that such rights come with duties, especially for public figures with significant influence. He said that expression should not be used as a license to demean or insult anyone.

Dayanghirang initially filed the proposal as a resolution declaring Vice Ganda persona non grata but fellow councilors recommended revisions, noting that a formal condemnation of the comedian’s remarks would, in effect, carry the same weight.

The resolution cited that many Davaoeños perceived Vice Ganda’s remarks as insulting to Duterte and the people here. It noted that free speech must be used responsibly, without demeaning people or spreading disrespect and division.

It urged the Sangguniang Panlungsod to send a clear, united message that “Davao City will not stand idle when respect is trampled upon.” The resolution will be forwarded to the City Mayor’s Office, the Vice Mayor’s Office, the City Legal Office, and other relevant agencies.

Vice Ganda, performing alongside singer Regine Velasquez at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Aug. 8, faced backlash online from viewers who described his act as disrespectful and mocking.

During the concert, the comedian spoofed the viral “nothing beats a jet two holiday” TikTok trend, inserting lines alluding to former Duterte’s campaign quip about riding a jetski to the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea to plant the Philippine flag.

The councilor encouraged young Filipinos to think critically about the media they consume and uphold the culture of respect and gratitude. He appealed to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and other government agencies to investigate Vice Ganda.