DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 07 October) – Less than 48 hours after former President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he will run for city mayor here, he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Monday, October 7, for the post that he previously held for 22 years.
The 79-year-old Duterte patriarch led two other clan members who filed their COCs at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here Monday afternoon. His son, incumbent Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, is running for vice mayor while Barangay Buhangin Proper chairperson Omar Duterte is gunning for second district representative.
Omar is the eldest son of First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte with first wife Lovelie Sangkola. Paolo’s COC was filed Monday morning by his lawyer, Atty. Elijah Pepito.
Omar’s younger brother, Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II, filed his COC for councilor of the first district last Wednesday, October 2.
Omar and Rigo represent the fourth generation of Dutertes in politics. Rodrigo Duterte’s father, Vicente, was governor of the undivided Davao. Before migrating to Davao City, he was appointed acting mayor of Danao in Cebu.
Rodrigo was mayor of Davao City from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010, 2013 to 2016 and President from 2016 to 2022. In 1986, he was appointed OIC vice mayor vice his mother, Soledad, who suggested her son in her stead. Term-limited for the mayoralty in 1998, he ran for and was elected first district representative to Congress, and term-limited for mayor in 2010, he ran for and was elected vice mayor while his daughter Sara was mayor.
All the Dutertes running in the May 12, 2025 elections filed their COCs under the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL), a local political party that Rodrigo founded decades ago when he was mayor.
They arrived at the Comelec office around 3:50 p.m., and were met by a group of supporters, including former and current city hall employees, and aspirants for councilors running under the party.
When asked why he chose to run again as mayor, Rodrigo replied: “Mas makakapagsilbi ako, mas malawak ang puder ko rito para [magsilbi]… Kaya ko pa.” (I can better and widely serve here. I am still capable.)
He will face Rodolfo “Bishop Rod” Cubos of the Christ The Healer International Missions Movement and social media vlogger and influencer Roweno “Boy Isog” Caballes, both running as independent candidates.
Sebastian said the Duterte-Duterte tandem was a continuing talk for a long time, adding he is “good and comfortable” with the current tandem.
He noted that his father is still capable of serving the city despite his age.
“Boto na lang atong pastoryahon (Let the votes speak),” Sebastian said.
He is up against Rhodora Barcena, the running mate of Cubos, and independent candidate Richard Acebar.
Omar declined to give media interviews. He will face Councilor Augusto Javier Campos III, an HTL-turned-Partido Federal ng Pilipinas member, and independent Melogen Montesclaros.
Incumbent Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain is running as councilor in the first district under HTL. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
