DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 11 May) – Incumbent Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has been proclaimed as the newly-elected mayor, becoming the third member of his family to hold the post since 1988.
He will succeed his sister, outgoing Mayor Sara Duterte, who is leading by a wide margin in the race for vice president.
Their father, outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, also served as mayor for 22 years.
Sebastian’s elder brother, Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, has been reelected to a second term as the city’s 1st District representative.
Also proclaimed winner was the lone vice mayoral candidate lawyer Melchor Quitain.
Two Duterte allies, 2nd District Rep. Vincent Garcia and 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab, were reelected.
The Duterte family has ruled Davao City for over three decades. Before he was elected president in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte served as mayor from 1988 to 1998, 1 District representative from 1998 to 2001, mayor from 2001 to 2010, vice mayor to his daughter Mayor Sara from 2010 to 2013, and mayor from 2013 to 16 with son Paolo as vice mayor.
The only time that a Duterte did not hold an elective position at City Hall was from July 1998 to June 2001, when Benjamin de Guzman served as mayor while the would-be president was in Congress.
Dominating the positions for the City Council are candidates who came from either Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL), a local party organized by President Duterte, or regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which was co-founded by Mayor Sara Duterte with provincial governors in the region.
For the 1st District, the winners from HNP are Kap Ibuyan, Luna Acosta, Tek Ocampo, Bernie Al-ag, and Nilo Abellera Jr. and those from HTL are Bonz Militar and Pilar Braga. Jessica Bonguyan is the only independent candidate who won.
For the 2nd District, the winners from HTL are Che Che Justol, Marissa Abella and Al Ryan Alejandre. Those from HNP are Javi Garcia Campos, Louie John Bonguyan, Dante Apostol, Diosdado Mahipus, and Jonard Dayap.
For the 3rd District, the winners from HNP include Alberto Ungab, Potpot Villafuerte, Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Cocoy Zozobrado, and Enzo Villafuerte. Nonoy Al-Ag, Sweet Advincula, and Conde Baluran, all from HTL, also won. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
