Paolo Duterte and Isabelle Duterte
Update
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque declined to comment on the social media war between Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his daughter Isabelle.
“Ako po ay presidential spokesperson, bayaan na po natin ang away pamilya. Hindi na po siguro dapat nating komentohan ‘yan,” Roque said in an interview over Radio Inquirer 990AM on Sunday.
(I’m just the presidential spokesperson, let’s leave them as it’s only a domestic matter. We should not comment on that.)
The word war between the younger Duterte and his daughter started after Isabelle posted on her Twitter account an apparent outrage as she spoke of how her father should not physically hurt somebody “just because you have a position in the city.”
“It’s not that if you have power, you can already hurt people. The one you’re touching is also human!!!! Not only human but a child!!!!” she wrote in Cebuano.
It was not clear if Paolo had physically hurt his daughter but Isabelle said her father “fucks up my [Christmas] every year.”
Paolo responded on her daughter’s rants through a Facebook post.
“It’s not that if you have been pimped twice by that person, I will keep my silence. And if your mother would no longer care if she gets something in return, I would not. It’s not because I am a Duterte but because I’m a father,” Paolo said.
He said Isabelle doesn’t respect him anymore and challenged her “to change your family name if you want.”
Still, Roque said the word war between Paolo and Isabelle was not unusual.
“Alam naman po natin na nangyayari ‘yan sa lahat ng pamilya. Sana po dahil Pasko ngayon ay magkaroon ng reconciliation sa panig ng mag-ama,” he said.
(We all know that this happens to every family. Because it’s Christmas let’s hope they will have a reconciliation.)
“Alam ko naman na ang Pangulo ay lalong masaya kung maayos na ang sigalot na yan,” he added.
(I know that the President would be happy if this problem is resolved.)
The spat came days after Isabelle’s pre-debut photoshoot at Malacañang drew mix public reactions.