Baste is Plan B? Tinio says Duterte camp preparing for worst

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte appears to be the Duterte camp’s Plan B in case Vice President Sara Duterte is impeached and eventually removed from office, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said on Monday.

In an ambush interview, Tinio said that if Vice President Duterte is impeached and convicted by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court, she will be barred from holding any elective office, effectively disqualifying her from the presidency.

“It is clear that there is a Plan B for the Dutertes, and that is Baste, so maybe the Duterte camp is nervous that the vice president may be impeached, and this may continue toward a conviction at the Senate,” Tinio said in Filipino.

“So her presidential bid may be cut short because part of the penalty for an impeachment conviction is removal from office and perpetual disqualification, so she cannot run for any office. So that remains a possibility should the impeachment push through to trial and conviction,” he added.

According to Tinio, the designation of Mayor Duterte as president of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) and the creation of the Reform Alliance for Good Governance and Accountability (Rage) Coalition indicate that the Dutertes are preparing for the worst.

“That’s why, as early as now, the Dutertes are presenting a Plan B: they will let another Duterte run for president. That is why Baste was appointed as president of PDP, and they are building a coalition to give another Duterte a national platform,” he said in Filipino.

“But this should be clear to us: this is politics again—premature campaigning for another Duterte,” he added.

Over the weekend, Senator Robin Padilla, PDP’s former president, announced that Mayor Duterte has been officially appointed president of the party. He replaced Padilla, who took a leave from the post to focus on his role as a legislator.

“Long live Mr. Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte!” Padilla said.

READ: No more acting role: Baste Duterte is new PDP Laban president

Mayor Duterte was elected vice mayor in the May 2025 elections but later took over the mayoral post after his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in March 2025 and brought to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands over crimes against humanity charges.

The charges against Duterte stemmed from his role in his administration’s drug war.

READ: Rodrigo Duterte’s ICC case: Journey from Malacañang to The Hague

The Rage Coalition is composed of political parties aiming to uphold good governance and fight for truth.

In his speech, Mayor Duterte said that the alleged anomalous flood control issue is self-destruction for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro asked whether the self-destruction narrative is also the reason why former President Duterte did not initiate a deeper probe into the flood control mess.

Castro also said Marcos is not affected by “personal interest and ambition” and remains focused on his work.

READ: Palace on Duterte’s Rage Coalition: Marcos not affected by ambition

READ: Sara Duterte impeachment: Docs, witnesses to be examined on April 14

Two impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte are still under the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives’ committee on justice, which will conduct another hearing on Tuesday, April 14.

Several documents and witnesses have been summoned to the committee, to discuss whether the evidence against Duterte presents a sufficient basis to impeach her. /mcm