(UPDATED) FORMER president and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte confirmed he is running again for mayor after a short hiatus from the political arena.
Looking thin, Duterte appeared in a press conference at the Grand Menseng Hotel on the evening of Saturday, October 5, 2024, saying it would be possible that there would be a Duterte-Duterte tandem in the 2025 elections.
“O sige, tatakbo na lang ako, yan ang gusto nyo eh (Ok, I will run, if that's what you want),” Duterte said, adding that there will be a Rodrigo Duterte-Sebastian "Baste" Duterte tandem, with the current Davao City mayor as his vice mayor.
Duterte first asked the media their sentiments whether he is still the clamor of the people in Davao City before he confirmed running again for mayor. However, when prodded to answer when he would file for a certificate of candidacy (COC), he did not provide a straight answer but revealed that he would be going to Manila so he would file soon before his trip.
During the event, Duterte repeatedly said that he is at present 73 years old, when many sites available on Google search show that he was born on March 28, 1945, which means he is already 79.
He also clarified that he could not possibly run for a national position since at his age he could not carry anymore a national campaign.
"Magko-collapse lang ako niyan (I'll just collapse)," Duterte said.
Duterte, at the start of the event, explained that people will undergo changes as they get older, like him, seemingly explaining why he looks thin.
Meanwhile, he also hinted that his other son, First District Congressman Paolo "Pulong" Duterte would still run for the same position in next year's election.
"Ewan ko, si Pulong mudagan man siguro'g Congressman (I don't know, Pulong maybe would run for Congressman)," he said in a serious tone.
The longest-running mayor of Davao City also warned that when he became the mayor again, drug addicts and criminals would better leave the city lest they be killed.
"Kaya kung ma-mayor ako, umalis na kayo kaagad, kasi pag inabotan ko kayo, patayan talaga tayo (That's why if I become a mayor, you better leave because if I get you, there will be killings)," he said.
In the same curse-laden event, Duterte also dared the Human Rights commission to campaign against him because he would reiterate time and time that he would kill all those who would bring the citizens of Davao City into the dark abyss.
"Nakikinig ang Human Rights, p*tang-ina makinig kayo! Just don't f*ck it here," he said. CEA
