Comelec Announces Davao Vice Mayor Baste Duterte To Act as Local Chief Executive
BASTE DUTERTE – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s son will be Davao City’s acting mayor while he remains in detention in The Hague.
For more than 100 days now, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is detained under the ICC or the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. The former President is faced with an accusation of crimes against humanity over the war on drugs of his administration.
Previously, on his 100th day in ICC detention following his controversial arrest last March 11, Davao Congressman Paolo Duterte said his father gave his life to the nation but, now, he is suffering alone and away from home. According to him, as a son, the pain of his father’s situation now is “immeasurable”.
The war on drugs of the Duterte administration remains linked to several deaths. Amid the issue and the transfer of his custody to the ICC, the former President maintained that everything he did during his term as president of the country was for the people and the nation.
Despite his ICC detention, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte won as mayor of Davao in the 2025 Midterm Elections. His running-mate, his youngest son, former Davao Mayor Baste Duterte, won the vice mayoralty race.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte who is currently detained in the ICC detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands was not able to take his oath yesterday, June 30. Based on a report on GMA News, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that Davao Vice Mayor Baste Duterte will serve as the acting mayor of the city.
According to Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia, the rule of succession applies to cases of elected local officials who cannot temporarily perform their duties. He stressed that the one who will assume the position will be working on an acting capacity unless there would be a permanent incapacity for the real winner in the election to serve his/her duties.
“‘Yung mag-assume ng position will be assuming in an acting capacity unless maging permanent incapacity,” he said.
Based on the report, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia also stressed that upon the assumption of office of the government officials at 12 noon of June 30, they are already under the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). He stressed that it is the case as long as the elected official has already been proclaimed and has no pending case before the poll body.
“Basta walang kaso sa amin, walang nakapending, wala kaming naging desiyon, naproklama, kaagad ang jurisdiction ay malilipat sa DILG,” the Comelec chairperson said.
Garcia further stressed that by June 30, the Interior department has the say on who will serve and what will happen to the candidates who won the elections. Previously, the DILG spoke on the case of the former President.
DILG said there will be no “Work from Hague” for former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte as mayor of Davao City. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla stressed the Duterte has to be physically in office to perform his duties.