Ex-President Rodrigo Duterte runs again for Davao mayor

Former President Rodrigo Duterte files his certificate of candidacy for Davao City mayor on October 7, 2024. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of Rodrigo Duterte

DAVAO CITY — Although he said he was already weak and would rather retire from politics, former President Rodrigo Duterte finally made true his earlier hint to run again for mayor here in the 2025 elections.

Accompanied by his second wife Honeylet Avancena, his son Mayor Sebastian Duterte, Vice Mayor Jay Melchor Quitain, close friends, and supporters, Duterte was wildly cheered when he arrived at the Commission on Elections office here at 3:58 p.m. on Monday, October 7, to file his certificate of candidacy (COC).

He is running for mayor with Sebastian as his running mate, while Quitain will be filing his COC as councilor of the first district.

The ex-president’s grandson Omar Duterte, who currently serves as Buhangin barangay captain, will run for second district representative. Omar is the son of the city’s first district Rep. Paolo Duterte, who is seeking reelection.

When Duterte met the media on Saturday night to hint about his running for mayor again, he started mouthing his old “kill” rhetoric, warning drug addicts and criminals he would kill them, a statement which had earned him a case at the International Criminal Court.

“If I’m going to run against as mayor, this early, I’m saying, better go to Cebu or Manila, not here in Davao City because, if I’m going to be mayor here, you will really die,” he said in Filipino.

“They did not believe that before, they referred to it as extrajudicial killings, but I’ve said it to you, I don’t want drugs, I don’t want kidnappings, I grew up in Davao, so do not f**k with me, this is my city and I just want a peaceful city…So, if I’m going to be mayor here, you have to leave,” he added.

He also dared human rights groups to campaign against him in the upcoming elections.

Duterte, however, kept repeating that he was already too weak and could no longer make it if he ran for public office.

He said he was already too weak to campaign for a national office like the Senate, as his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte earlier said.

The Vice President earlier said three Dutertes would be running for senator in next year’s elections, referring to her father and brothers.

“Senator? Not me, di ko na kaya (I cannot do it anymore),” said the 79-year-old former president, who also kept referring to his age as 73.

“I’m ready to retire. Maybe the desire to be senator or mayor is still there but the problem is, the body is getting weak. Those positions entail work. If you would require me to travel a lot, physical movement, I could no longer do it,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.

But when pressed by reporters if he could still run for a local post, he said in Filipino: “If God will say I’m going to die tomorrow, I will not tinker with politics anymore or if he could give me a single cell of cancer and I will not refuse it because I am old…But what am I supposed to do?”

He also admitted that every day, he was just at home, reading the newspapers or watching television.

“Nakatingin ang asawa ko, pag uwi niya, nasa sofa ako, tinitingnan niya ako, pag uwi niya sa gabi, nasa TV ako, masama na ang tingin niya sa akin, ano ang dapat gawin ko?” he added.

(My wife looks at me when she arrives home at night. I am sitting on the sofa while watching TV. And then she gives me a disapproving look, what should I do?)