DAVAO CITY – Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte voiced concerns over what he describes as a “clear downward trajectory” in the country’s governance, citing both domestic and foreign factors contributing to the perceived deterioration.

Duterte pointed to the release of high-profile figures linked to the country’s drug crisis, welcomed by foreign diplomats from the United States and other Western countries, as a symbolic turning point that set the stage for increasing lawlessness.

“Since then, the environment appears to have shifted back toward one where illegal drugs are again pervasive, predatory actors move with relative confidence, and the practical risk of accountability feels low for those with power,” Duterte said in a statement on Saturday, Nov. 29.

The acting mayor also criticized what he described as growing tolerance toward corruption, saying citizens continue to normalize the mismanagement of public funds.

Duterte contrasted this with the treatment of former President Rodrigo Duterte, stating that efforts to combat drugs and criminality are now portrayed negatively. At the same time, he said, those who benefit from illegal activities face little scrutiny.

He alleged that foreign powers, particularly the United States, exert significant influence over Philippine foreign policy, including using international institutions such as the International Criminal Court to suppress opposition while avoiding accountability for their own actions.

Duterte referred to recent foreign involvement in domestic investigative bodies, including the Independent Commission Investigation initiated under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., as evidence of profound external influence.

“The law is applied inconsistently, leaving the most vulnerable at risk, and actions that would normally be seen as cruel are being tolerated,” Duterte said, questioning whether institutions are truly protecting citizens and upholding the Constitution.

Duterte warned that current political and economic structures favor a narrow elite, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable, and create a system designed more to preserve elite comfort than to protect the broader population.

Former President Duterte’s youngest son’s statement comes amid ongoing debates over governance, foreign involvement, and drug-related policies in the Philippines, as critics and supporters continue to clash over the current status of the country.