DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 07 January) – Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte announced on Saturday night that he will not run for mayor of Davao City in 2025. “I am retired, I am tired … Count me out,” he said in a press conference Saturday night, his first since he stepped down as President on June 30, 2022.
Late as expected for the 7 p.m. press conference, Duterte stepped inside the Whitefield function room of the Grand MenSeng Hotel at 8:31 p.m. walking slowly with a cane and nearing the table, said in jest: “niabot na ang cripple” (the cripple has arrived).
Repeatedly, he would ask those asking questions to speak slowly as he is now hard of hearing. On both ears this time, he said.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte answers questions from the media on Saturday night, 6 January 2023 at the Grand MenSeng Hotel in Davao City. MIndaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
“I cannot really hear you. Either you have to be patient with me or you have to forgive me because I am getting really old,” said Duterte, who is turning 79 in March.
“I am retired,” he said. “Wala na ako (I’m done). I’m telling you the truth,” said the man who served Davao City in various posts from 1986 to 2016 (22 years as mayor) and as the country’s 16thPresident and first Mindanawon to rule the nation from 2016 to 2022.
Asked if his son will run again for mayor, Duterte replied: “I don’t know I really don’t know. Wala na ako. Hindi ko na kaya (I’m done. I cannot take it anymore). He said he can only answer for himself: “Maskin ginusto ko man, di na kaya ng katawan ko” (Even if I want to, my body won’t allow me).
“Why do I have to make some pretentions here. Kung hindi mo na kaya, wag mo nang, pasungkod-sungkod ka pa dyan na mayor dyan. Kita mo naga cane na ako (If you cannot take it anymore, don’t, you’ll be a mayor with a cane. Look, I’m using a cane already).
When a reporter said the Nograles camp was reportedly preparing for 2025, Duterte replied: “Mag-andamay ra ta” (Let us all prepare).
He said he hopes the voters will choose “kanang pinakatarong nga tao” (the most upright person).”
Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte speaks before members of the media at the Grand Men Seng Hotel in Davao City on Saturday evening, 6 January 2024, the first since he stepped down as President on June 30, 2022. He announced, among others, that he has retired from politics, will not run for mayor in 2025, that President Marcos is “fine.” MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
“You cannot look for the most perfect pero as near as pinakataraong. Kinsay pinakatarong nga mabilin. Ug wala (Who’s the most upright that’s left. If none), it’s about time naay musulod nga second generation. Matanda na ako.” (I am old).
He said it is his daughter Sara, the second of his three children with first wife Elizabeth, that decides for the family.
He said of his son Sebastian, the incumbent mayor: “ayaw talaga. Ayaw. Ayaw.” (he doesn’t like to be mayor) because he wants a quiet life and instead of doing business, “he has to take care of public service.”
Sebastian has been criticized as an “absentee mayor,” prompting calls from the Duterte family’s supporters for the patriarch to run again for mayor because Sara cannot as she is Vice President until 2028 and Paolo is on his second term as 1st district representative.
Sebastian was thrust into politics in 2019 as Vice Mayor to his sister Sara. He was a sure winner in the 2022 polls as reelectionist vice mayor as he was running unopposed. But sister Sara, who filed her certificate of candidacy for mayor, withdrew in favor of running for Vice President. Sebastian then substituted for Sara as candidate for mayor.
“Ewan ko si Pulong, di ko mabasa but si Inday, baka gusto pa ni Inday manuntok. Hayaan mo muna sya sa Manila” (I don’t know with Pulong. I cannot read him but Inday (Sara), she might want to punch someone again. But let her be in Manila.”
Duterte was referring to Sara’s punching a sheriff in July 2011, during her first term as mayor.
“Ako I am tired of politics. Ayoko na. (I don’t want it anymore). Count me out,” he said.
Most proud of
Asked what he is most proud of and most disappointed with as President from 2016 to 2022, Duterte replied “babae” (women) for disappointed and “law and order” for what he is most proud of.
He said there were fewer members of the New People’s Army (NPA) when he stepped down (bumaba ang NPA), and there were fewer abuses by the military , police and government.
“Nag nose dive yung drugs,” he said. When reminded about the criticisms on the killings attributed to his war on drugs, Duterte said: “Well of course, kaya nga nandyan na yung ICC (International Criminal Court). Hayaan mo yang ICC (Don’t mind the ICC).”
“You know, if you go down to the brass knuckles, if this country will go down the drain, the ICC cannot come and bail us out,” Duterte said.”Walang ICC pupunta dito na tututlong kami sa inyo. I have yet to see the ICC helping a country that has been destroyed by drugs na tinulungan nila.”
The core mandate of the ICC is “to act as a court of last resort with the capacity to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes when national jurisdictions for any reason are unable or unwilling to do so.”
The ICC is probing the killings allegedly committed from November 1, 2011 when the Philippines ratified the Rome Statute and became the 117th member of the ICC until March 16, 2019 when the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC took effect. Duterte was vice mayor in 2011, returned as mayor from 2013 to 2016 and became President from 2016 to 2022.
Duterte served as mayor of Davao City for 22 years, from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2009 and 2013 to 2016. He served as Representative of the first district from 1998 to 2001. He was OIC Vice mayor from 1986 to 1987 and was Vice Mayor to Sara Duterte from 2010 to 2013.
He said leaders should take a stand against illegal drugs as it is a long-term problem. “It doesn’t just happen to your administration. You are only there for the time being.”
Despite his claims that the drugs problem took a nosedive under his Presidency, despite the killings for which his administration has been heavily criticized and for which he is facing charges before the ICC, the problem has remained.
“Maskin saan man pero hindi masyado (Anywhere that is a problem but not so in the Philippines),” he said, but hastily dded “I don’t know know about now.”
Asked if he was going to set up another political party, Duterte said, “no more politics. I am retired. I am tired. I do not have plans heretofore. Wala. Ayoko na. ayoko na ng politika. (None. I don’t want to. I don’t want politics anymore).
“Hindi naman ako nasusuka pero (It’s not as if it is nauseating but) I will find it disgusting for me to still meddle in politics,” he said. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)