DAVAO CITY (MindaNews /24 October) – Davao City First District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, who is seeking a third and final term, has revealed the Dutertes will “not change” their election strategy amid the challenge brought by members of the Nograles family in the May 2025 local polls.
Fresh from a drug test conducted in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday afternoon, Duterte was asked if the Dutertes would change strategy amid the entry of Karlos Alexei Nograles and his younger sister Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) partylist Rep. Atty. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles in local politics.
The female Nograles is challenging Paolo while Karlos Alexei will go up against former President Rodrigo Duterte in the mayoralty race.
Paolo took a swipe at the Nograleses, saying they have “ayuda” (aid) funds that are bigger compared to the allocated budget for his congressional office.
“Same lang, mangangampanya, wala kaming ayuda, di gaya sa kanila ngayon, so tanggapin na lang ang ayuda, kanila naman iyan (Same strategy, we will campaign, but we won’t give aid. Unlike them [Nograleses], so the Dabawenyos should take the aid that they will be giving, that’s people’s money anyway),” Duterte told the media in an ambush interview aired by SMNI News on Wednesday afternoon.
Last January, Duterte lambasted House leaders, including his staunch rival, PBA Rep. Nograles, for the budget cut of P2 billion for his district this year.
He also accused Nograles of initiating the alleged people’s initiative in the city to change the 1987 Constitution, and called on the public not to sell their signatures in exchange for P100 or P10,000.
When asked if his father, former President Duterte, will need to campaign for the mayoralty post, Paolo said in Filipino: “Yes, but we (will) advise him to only go within the downtown [areas] so that the people can see him.”
“Lugi kami kung hindi siya mangangampanya (We would be at a disadvantage if he will not campaign),” the younger Duterte said, smiling.
He also chided the current members of the House of Representatives who are investigating the former president’s “war on drugs,” saying that “maybe, that’s their mandate, to investigate the Dutertes.”
During the interview in Manila, Duterte said that he and the Nograleses are not good friends.
“I do not have a good relationship with the Nograleses. It was their father [the late House Speaker Prospero Nograles] who depicted me as an addict in 1994 or 1995,” Duterte said.
Both Duterte and Nograles responded to each other’s dare by undergoing hair follicle drug tests on the same day, October 23, although these were conducted separately.
Duterte arrived 12:35 p.m. at the Hi-Precision Diagnostic clinic in Mandaluyong City. Nograles was tested at the clinic’s branch in Davao City, arriving at 1:44 p.m.
Results of their drug tests were not yet available as of 6:20 p.m. Thursday, October 24.
For her part, Nograles said the drug tests were made as “the people want to know” if they are abusing prohibited substances.
She said that she has not spoken personally with the Dutertes for a time now.
Nograles added that she “does not have any bad blood” with Pulong.
When asked what would she say if they cross paths, Nograles said in Filipino: “[I will say] hello [to him]. I mean we are both congressional representatives, and we both have an aim to give public service to the first district, to the Dabawenyos.”
On October 7, former President Duterte filed his candidacy for Davao City mayor, with his youngest son, incumbent Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, as vice mayor.
The elder Duterte’s major opponent for mayor is Karlos Alexei Nograles, his former Cabinet secretary (2018-2022) and Civil Service Commission chair until his resignation on October 7. The other contenders for mayor are independent candidates Bishop Rodolfo A. Cubos and social media influencer Roweno R. Caballes.
Paolo, running under local party Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, will face PBA Rep. Nograles and three other independent candidates — Rex Labis, a retired Bureau of Jail Management and Penology officer, Janeth Jabines, a social worker, and governance and peace and development worker Maria Victoria “Mags” Maglana.
Both Margarita and Karlo are children of the late Prospero Nograles, who ran for mayor in 1998 against Rodrigo and in 2010 against Sara, but failed. He also served as the 1st district representative of the city from 1989 to 1992, 1995 to 1998, and 2001 until 2010.
The position for vice mayor will be a contest between incumbent Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Councilor Bernard Al-ag, a former Duterte ally. Other candidates for the position are Rhodora S. Barcena and Richard A. Alcebar.
Paolo’s children have also joined the local elections, with Omar, incumbent chairman of Buhangin, running for a congressional seat in Davao’s 2nd District against incumbent 2nd District Councilor Javier Campos of the influential Garcia family. Meanwhile, Rigo Duterte filed his candidacy for first district councilor.
Both Omar and Rigo are rookies in local politics.
The Duterte family has dominated Davao City politics for over three decades. Rodrigo served multiple terms as mayor, congressman, and vice mayor between 1988 and 2016. His daughter, Sara Duterte, was mayor from 2010 to 2013 and 2016 to 2022.
Paolo, the eldest child of the former president, served as barangay chair of Catalunan Grande from 2007 to 2013, vice mayor from 2013 until his resignation on December 25, 2017, and 1st District representative since 2019.
Paolo’s resignation came months after he and lawyer Manases Carpio, his brother-in-law, were implicated in a P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that was discovered inside five metal cylinders in Valenzuela City. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
