DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 June) – Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio believes her brother Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, who is a newbie in politics, is ready to serve as vice mayor and lead the 24-member City Council of Davao as its presiding officer for the next three years.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and vice mayor-elect Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte. MindaNews file photo by MANMAN DEJETO
When asked about the preparation of her brother for local politics, Carpio told reporters in an ambush interview during the general assembly of barangay leaders at the Azuela Cove on Tuesday that she was confident that Sebastian, the youngest son of President Rodrigo R. Duterte with ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman, would be able to carry out his function as vice mayor.
“Of course, tumakbo naman sya (he ran) and he presented himself to the people and when he campaigned he presented also kung ano yung plano nya (what his plans are) for the city council.
So, yes,” she said.
Carpio, who also served as vice mayor from 2007 to 2010, said she did not give tips to her youngest brother on how to lead the council because politics was not discussed in their family. Carpio served as mayor from 2010 until 2013, elected mayor again in 2016 when her father ran for president, and re-elected in 2019.
Meanwhile, the resigned vice mayor, Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, the eldest of the Duterte siblings, won as Davao City first district representative.
Sebastian, the vice mayor-elect, who ran unopposed, received 557,769 votes.
“If at all, nagtanong sya about committees sa Sangguniang Panlungsod, and I told him na as vice mayor sya yung mag de-decide about the committees with the consensus of the councilors (He asked about the committees at the City Council, and I told him, as vice mayor, he would decide about the committees with the consensus of the councilors),” she said.
Under Section 445 of the Local Government Code of 1991, the vice mayor shall be the “presiding officer of the sangguniang bayan and sign all warrants drawn on the municipal treasury for all expenditures appropriated for the operation of the sangguniang bayan.”
The vice mayor, “subject to civil service law, rules and regulations, will also appoint all officials and employees of the sangguniang bayan, except those whose manner of appointment is specifically provided in this Code.”
Sebastian will also assume the office of the mayor “for the unexpired term of the latter in the event of permanent vacancy” and exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the municipal mayor in cases of temporary vacancy. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
