Sara Duterte says brother Baste on self-quarantine, can’t be tested yet

DAVAO CITY—A son of President Rodrigo Duterte had himself isolated after showing flu-like symptoms, the city government said on Monday (March 16).

Mayor Sara Duterte said her brother, Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, “is suffering from sore throat, cough and flu.”

“So he is a PUM,” the mayor said, referring to Persons Under Monitoring, the tag given by the Department of Health (DOH) on persons exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

Mayor Duterte said she should also be technically a PUM but decided to report for work as her brother, the vice mayor, had decided to self-isolate.

Mayor Duterte said Baste decided to keep himself away from others, especially his family.

Baste, Mayor Duterte said, had been in Metro Manila some three to four weeks ago, which had already been beyond the incubation period for the virus that causes COVID-19.

The mayor said said it was already past the incubation period when her brother got sick. “But tonsillitis has been a recurrent condition for my brother,” said Mayor Duterte, referring to inflammation of the tonsils.

The mayor said she asked her brother not to get tested yet, despite his symptoms, as other people could still use remaining test kits.

“I suggested that he skip the testing because we lack test kits,” said the mayor. “Hopefully, he does not have COVID-19. Get well, soon,” she added.

The mayor had earlier gone on voluntary quarantine after recognizing two potential risks of exposure to the virus.

The first risk involved her meeting with Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who had also gone on self-quarantine after a Senate resource person tested positive for COVID-19.

The second risk involved flu-like symptoms earlier displayed by her household staffer who was listed by the city health office as a PUM.

Both risks, however, were later cleared by the health office. As of Monday (March 16) a total of 18 persons under investigation and 64 PUMs were recorded in the city.

Edited by TSB