DILG: Baste Duterte is acting Davao City mayor
In a statement, the DILG said Baste will take over as mayor in the city due to the 'temporary legal incapacity' of his father, who was proclaimed mayor-elect in absentia.
'You are hereby enjoined to perform the duties and functions of Mayor of Davao City to prevent paralysis of government operations,' Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a letter to Baste dated June 30.
Citing Section 46(a) of the Local Government Code, the DILG said that in cases of temporary incapacity, whether physical or legal, the vice mayor shall automatically perform the duties and exercise the powers of the mayor.
Earlier, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) confirmed the proclamation of the former president as mayor of Davao City despite his absence.
The DILG, meanwhile, also designated first-ranked Sangguniang Panlungsod Member Rodrigo Duterte II as acting vice mayor, pursuant to Administrative Order No. 15, series of 2018.
According to the DILG, its action is both legal and necessary to ensure continuity of leadership in Davao City amid ongoing legal proceedings involving the former president before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Philippine authorities on March 11 assisted Interpol in serving a warrant of arrest from the ICC against Duterte for crimes against humanity in connection with his drug war.
After his arrest, Duterte was transported to The Hague in the Netherlands.
Duterte, on March 13 (Philippine time), entered the Hague Penitentiary Institution, or the Scheveningen Prison. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
8 hours ago
- GMA Network
Jonvic Remulla relieves Makati fire execs over cars blocking fire trucks
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday relieved from their posts officials of the Makati City Fire Station, whose parked vehicles blocked the fire truck driveway when he conducted a surprise inspection of the facility. Obstructing the fire truck bay is a violation of the Fire Code and its implementing rules. Remulla, during his inspection, saw the parked vehicles of the concerned personnel blocking the ingress and egress of fire trucks and emergency response ambulances. He said such obstruction will cause a huge delay in responding to fires and other public safety emergencies where lives and property are on the line. Republic Act 9514 or the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2018 and the 2019 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) provide that there should be no obstructions in the ingress and egress of fire trucks and emergency response vehicles nor should there be any prevention, interference or obstruction of any operation of the fire service. Officials found violating the said provisions may be held administratively liable for willful impropriety or gross negligence in the performance of his/her duty under Section 11 of the Fire Code. The DILG called on fire station chiefs to prohibit any parking in front of or near fire trucks and order the immediate removal of all unauthorized parked vehicles blocking fire response units. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
9 hours ago
- GMA Network
Bill penalizing public officials for red-tagging filed
A bill penalizing red-tagging has been filed in the House of Representatives. Red-tagging is the practice of accusing people and groups of having ties to communist rebels or terrorist groups, and during the Duterte administration was wielded against government critics, including lawmakers, activists, progressive groups, private citizens, and schools. Several deaths have been linked to red-tagging, and in 2024 the Supreme Court ruled that it poses "threats to a person's right to life, liberty, or security." In House Bill 213, Party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio of ACT and Renee Co of Kabataan cited the high court's ruling. 'This judicial affirmation validates the lived experiences of activists and the long-held position of human rights advocates that red-tagging is a direct and credible threat that warrants decisive legislative action,' the lawmakers said. Under the bill, a public official, employee, and/or their agent who red-tags any individual will be meted a jail time of six months to six years. If the individual was injured by reason or by any cause arising from the red-tagging by a public official, employee, and/or their agents, the public official, employee, and their agents will be punished by a degree higher than those in accordance with Articles 262 to 265 (Physical Injuries) of the Revised Penal Code and a fine not exceeding P6,000 plus damages. In the event the individual is killed by reason or by any cause arising from the red-tagging by a public official, employee, and/or their agents, the public official, employee, and their agents will be punished in accordance with Article 248 or Murder of the Revised Penal Code. If the individual involuntarily disappears by reason or by any cause arising from the red-tagging by the public official, employee, and/or their agents, the public official, employee, and their agents, will punished under An Act Defining And Penalizing Enforced Or Involuntary Disappearance. Lastly, any public officer, employee, and/or their agents who are found guilty of any of the aforementioned offenses will be perpetually disqualified to hold public office. The bill defines red-tagging as the act of publicly labeling, vilifying, branding, naming, accusing or caricaturing individuals, groups, or organizations of being state enemies, subversives, armed rebels, communists or terrorists, or fronts thereof, thereby implying or insinuating involvement or engagement in armed rebellion, acts of terrorism or any wrongdoing or criminal acts; provided, that such act is committed with the use, directly or indirectly, of public position and/or of public funds. 'To allow red-tagging to continue with impunity is to sanction violence perpetrated by the state. It is to surrender our fundamental freedoms and allow the state to operate as an instrument of repression rather than a protector of rights,' the lawmakers said. 'Criminalizing this heinous act is an urgent and necessary step to defend our democracy, uphold the rule of law, and protect the lives of the Filipino people,' they added. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
13 hours ago
- GMA Network
Pulong: Dad Duterte says his Davao City house not for sale
The house of former president Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City is not for sale as far as he is concerned, his son Congressman Paolo "Pulong" Duterte said Tuesday. In a video report from GMA One Mindanao, Duterte said his father, who is detained in The Netherlands due to alleged crimes against humanity over the drug war killings, is unaware that the house, which he shares with partner Honeylet Avanceña, is on the market, despite a "for sale" sign reportedly seen at the house. 'I asked him if he will sell the house in Doña Luisa, and he just said why would it be sold when it was my first house, and Honeylet has her own house which is huge,' the congressman said in Bisaya in an interview in The Hague. Congressman Duterte said he also asked his father whose name is on the title of the house, but that his answer was unclear. The congressman also said that his mother, Duterte's ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman, wants the former president to live in a house with their children in the event that the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) grants Duterte's bid for interim release. 'Our mother said that hopefully, by God's grace, if he is released, he will live with us,' the Congressman said. The governments of Australia and Belgium earlier said that they are not the unnamed country stated by Duterte's camp in their bid for interim release that is willing to host Duterte pending resolution of the charges leveled against him. — BM, GMA Integrated News
