Cory Aquino paved way for President Duterte's political career, Duterte's sister says

President Rodrigo Duterte may have mentioned women to not be capable of being president, but he has women to thank for paving the way of his political career.

In a 2017 I-Witness episode, his sister, Baby Duterte said that former President Cory Aquino actually started Duterte's political career as Davao City mayor, after his mom, Soledad "Nanay Soling" Duterte, refused to take the position.

At the height of Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship, Nanay Soling led Davao's city-wide protest. She was at the forefront of the Yellow Friday Movement and led marchers from Magsaysay Park to Rizal Park in Davao City to fight against the corruption, abuses and terror brought by the Marcos regime.

This protest was among the fights that gave the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution its momentum.

"The true hero in the family is my mother. Not Rodrigo, not me, not anyone," said Baby Duterte, Nanay Soling's eldest daughter.

After Marcos fled and Cory Aquino became President, she offered to appoint Nanay Soling as the mayor of Davao City.

"Payag ba daw siya na i-appoint niya ang nanay ko na mayor ng Davao? Sabi ng nanay ko, 'Ha? Wala na ako diyan, 'day.' Sabi niya, 'although we are a political family because of my husband, I never once coveted na maging pulitiko ako'," Baby said.

It was when Cory continued to pursue Nanay Soling that "history shifted. Sabi ng nanay ko, 'Kung magpilit ka talaga na ako ang — Hanapan mo ng magtulong sayo,' sabi niya, 'Take my son.'"

After that, Rodrigo Duterte became the mayor of Davao City. He held on to the position for nearly two decades, after which he won the 2016 elections that made him the 16th president of the Philippines.

Before becoming President, Duterte acknowledged his mother's fight against the late dictator Marcos.

"So I will dishonor the memory of my mother by following the persons that she helped shut down?" He said in an interview.

In November 2016 however, and despite wide protests, Duterte allowed the very dictator his mom fought against to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, wide protests.

He also acknowledged the role of Senator Imee Marcos in his own victory, saying that Imee was his friend and supported him.

Today, as the country celebrated the 35th anniversary of the EDSA revolution and the fall of the dictator, Duterte urged Filipinos to "set aside" differences and work on building a legacy for future generations. — Kaela Malig/LA, GMA News