Acting Vice Mayor Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II told reporters on Tuesday that he and acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte are still waiting for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to issue a definitive statement on their roles in the city government of Davao.
“So far, wala pa’y giingon ang DILG. Naghulat lang pud mi,” Rigo said.
He added that both he and Baste continue to rely on the agency for official confirmation of their assignments.
The DILG, for its part, said Monday that the matter remains unresolved as it awaits instructions from its central office.
Charissa Guerta, assistant regional director of DILG-Davao, explained that the national office has already sought clarification from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and is waiting for a response before making any announcement.
The situation traces back to a June 30 directive from the DILG, which instructed acting Mayor Duterte to carry out the duties of city mayor under Section 46(a) of the Local Government Code.
The agency said the move was necessary to maintain continuity in local governance amid former President Rodrigo Duterte’s temporary inability to assume office.
Following the same succession provision, the DILG also named Councilor Duterte, who led the 2025 elections with 119,324 votes, as acting vice mayor.
Meanwhile, the former president remains in The Hague, Netherlands following the rejection of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to his interim release appeal.
