It’s neither reelection nor a Senate seat for Baste Duterte

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has opted not to seek reelection or run for the Senate, instead filing his candidacy for vice mayor of the Southern Mindanao city.

Baste filed his certificate of candidacy on Monday afternoon, October 7, in his bid to reclaim Davao’s vice mayoral post, the first position he held in government. He is now the running mate of his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

He was overshadowed by his father, the political kingpin of Davao, as they submitted their papers before the local Commission on Elections office past 4 pm. All eyes were on the 79-year-old former president.

The younger son of Duterte, Baste has been maneuvering through a complex landscape shaped by controversies surrounding his father’s presidency.

Before entering politics towards the end of his father’s presidency, Baste seemed to chart a different course from his elder siblings, who fully embraced the family’s political dynasty. In the early years of his father’s administration, Baste cultivated a Casanova-like and carefree lifestyle, a traveler and surfing aficionado, which appeared to be a quiet rebellion against the expectations of his lineage.

However, he eventually followed in the footsteps of his father and siblings. In 2019, he ran for vice mayor, a position vacated by his brother Paolo, and held the post until he rose to become Davao’s mayor in 2022, succeeding his sister, now Vice President Sara Duterte. The city gave him a resounding victory in the 2022 elections.

Yet, even as mayor, Baste has carried his relaxed demeanor into the halls of city government, where his perceived laid-back approach stands in contrast to the rigorous demands of the office. 

The joke among Davao residents reflects this sentiment: while the city proudly boasts the slogan “Life is here,” locals often add with a wry smile, “The mayor is not here.” This quip, circulating in the city’s cafés and markets, showed a growing perception of Baste’s distant leadership.

Known more for his time spent on social media than behind his desk at city hall, Baste has become a symbol of a governance style that many view as detached. While Davao continues to thrive, the mayor — often seen out of town or otherwise preoccupied — epitomizes a hands-off approach that leaves many residents feeling a disconnect between the leadership they expect and the mayor they seldom see.

In 2017, Baste’s father voiced his frustrations about his son, repeating a sentiment he had expressed previously regarding the bitterness his grandchildren directed at their largely absent father. His message to Baste at that time was clear: come home.

 “Umuwi ka na kasi iyong anak mo hindi ka na kilala (Go home because your children no longer recognize you),” the elder Duterte was quoted as saying.

Baste, who will turn 37 in November, serves as the executive vice president of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, the political party chaired by his father, which he joined in September. Before that, he was affiliated with his sister Sara’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Lately, Baste has been active in the anti-Marcos Maisug rallies and has emerged as a vocal critic of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., describing him as “bangag,” a colloquial term for being stoned. Baste’s father has claimed that Marcos is a drug addict, an assertion dismissed by the President, who attributed his predecessor’s comments to the use of fentanyl. – Rappler.com