Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte called on Sunday Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to act on the local candidates who are taking part in the distribution of the payout of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
This came at the heels of Comelec Chairman George Garcia’s statement to discourage candidates for the May polls from attending aid distribution activities of DSWD, while Remulla told barangay officials during a DSWD event in Davao City last January 6, 2025, not to politicize aid distributions and must treat everyone fairly.
Duterte said that there are some aspirants in Davao City running for the local posts in the May elections who are attending the “ayuda” distribution of DSWD.
“Naa man sila, present man sila, naa ta’y mga pictures, naa man dinha ang mga ebidensya, so kani karon ang gobyerno nato, and Comelec or ang DILG, why are they not taking actions sa mga ingon ani na ginabuhat sa mga nananagan ug posisyon sa Davao? Definitely, on our side, wala man gyud. DSWD man na. Kanang ginaingon sa Comelec ug ni DILG Sec. Remulla wala na matuman diri sa Davao. Dili naman nato ni kinahanglan istoryahan kay harap harapan naman na nila ginabuhat. So dili man kaha politikahon ang mga payout and yet makita nimo sa ilang Facebook mismo, naka post gyud dinha. Actually, sila ray nisunog sa ilang kaugalingon sa ilang giingon. Klaro naman pud nga wala mo’y uwaw, unsaon ta man na,” the mayor said.
The mayor also called for the neutrality of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“There are also reports nga gaintervene ang pulis pero wala ta’y ebidensiya ana but naay verbal interactions between barangay leaders nga naa sa atong partido nga nagaappeal daw ang mga pulis nga pasudlon ning mga kandidatuha ni,” the mayor said.
