DAVAO CITY (November 18)— Acting Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II said the official schedule for his and Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s oath-taking is still pending, even as the city continues to navigate an unprecedented transition: an overwhelmingly elected mayor who cannot assume office, yet whose political dominance remains unmistakably intact.
Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte — who won a landslide victory as Mayor of Davao City in the May 2025 elections — remains detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. His absence triggered the succession that placed Baste Duterte as acting mayor and Rigo Duterte as acting vice mayor, effectively keeping the city’s key leadership posts within the Duterte political bloc.
Despite the physical absence of its elected leader, Davao City remains politically anchored to the Duterte family, whose influence continues to shape local decision-making and succession processes.
Oath-Taking “Likely Before December”
Speaking at the Office of the Vice President’s 90th Anniversary Pop-Up Exhibit at SM City Davao, Vice Mayor Duterte said the formal oath-taking may take place before or in December.
“Our lawyer has already informed me when it will likely be, maybe before December or December. I will take my oath together with Mayor Baste,” he said.
Guidance From The Hague: “We talked about it with Mayor Duterte”
Rigo Duterte confirmed that former President Duterte has been fully briefed on the transition during their recent visit to The Hague.
“Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte already knows about the oath-taking. We talked about it at The Hague.”
He emphasized that even in detention, his grandfather remains heavily engaged in Davao affairs, symbolizing the Duterte family’s continued command over the city’s political landscape.
Rigo said the former president offered him guidance on leadership and governance:
“He told me to always prioritize public service in Davao City and throughout the country, and to remain focused on the needs of the people.”
Duterte Governance Priorities: Health and Education
Once formally sworn in, Vice Mayor Duterte said he intends to focus on two longstanding priorities of Davaoeños: health and education.
“For health, especially for our senior citizens, and for our children’s education — these are the concerns I’ve seen most in the past months,” he said.
He credited his political grounding to his experience assisting his father, First District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, further highlighting the Duterte family’s deep generational presence in Davao’s political machinery.
Vacant Council Seat: Still a Duterte-Aligned Decision
Vice Mayor Duterte said there have been no discussions yet on who will fill the council seat he will vacate upon assuming the vice mayoralty. He emphasized that the replacement will certainly come from Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, the local party historically aligned with the Duterte family.
When asked whether Veronica “Kitty” Duterte — the former President’s youngest daughter — might take the seat, he said the matter remains open within the party.
“Possible, maybe. But we still have to discuss it within the party,” he said.
A City in Transition, but Still Under the Duterte Sphere
As Davao awaits the formal oath-taking of its acting leaders, the political dynamics remain unmistakably centered on Duterte. Despite the detention of its elected mayor, the city’s governance structure, succession choices, and policy direction continue to be steered by the Duterte family and its long-entrenched local network.
For now, Davao’s leadership remains stable, unified, and firmly aligned with the principles of its most influential political figure — underscoring a reality long recognized in the region: Davao City may change leaders, but it has not changed political hands.
