Duterte urges his children to stay humble, not to flaunt power

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday advised his three children who are in politics to stay grounded.

Three of Duterte's four children hold elective positions in his hometown Davao City, where he had served as mayor for more than two decades before being catapulted to the presidency in 2016.

Sara is the current city mayor, Paolo is a congressman, and Sebastian, a neophyte in politics, ran unopposed as vice mayor in the 2019 elections.

"Ito sinasabi ko sa inyo mga anak: Stay humble. Do not flaunt that power," Duterte said in his speech after Sebastian was sworn into office at the Sangguniang Panlungsod building in Davao City.

The President went on to express anew his aversion to awards and praises. "I just want to do things. And I do not accept awards because I am paid to do that," he explained.

With the Duterte family ruling the Davao political scene since 1988, the President said he had no qualms about the possibility of other than a Duterte taking charge of the city's affairs in the future.

"Ayaw ko ng ano, pero wala eh. Kasi ‘pag ayaw ko, ginusto naman ng anak ko. Eh alang-alang hindi ko naman suportahan dahil lang sa principle of dynasty. Kung ma-realize niya na bigyan na natin ng chance, maybe after this, if my daughter Inday would decide, ‘let us give others a chance,'" he said.

Duterte suggested to local leaders to put up a "strong opposition so that the people will have a choice" outside of his family members.

"I encourage you to do that because this is democracy," he said.

"People keep on repeating that phrase about dynasty. Totoo man 'yan. Masama man talaga na isang pamilya lang 'yan for so many years. Ang problema ang tao. Kaya ‘yung sabi ko hindi na ako mag-mayor. Eh ang gusto nila si Inday."

The President meanwhile disclosed that he had advised Paolo to resign as Davao City vice mayor nearly two years ago.

"I advised him to resign as a matter of honor and principle. Tutal sabi ko, ‘Bata ka pa. Marami pang eleksyon sa buhay mo,'" Duterte said.

Paolo resigned in December 2017 following a public spat with his daughter and allegations of involvement in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China that slipped past port inspections in May 2017. — DVM, GMA News