With Baste in, 3 Duterte children seeking Davao posts

DUTERTE RUNNING Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, shown here with sister, reelectionist Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, is seeking the vice mayor’s seat in the city. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest son, Sebastian, on Wednesday said the family was in a quandary when he earlier rejected offers to be the running mate of his sister, reelectionist Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Sebastian, known as Baste, said as a political newcomer, it took him months to think about the offer before he finally decided to run as vice mayor under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) and its city counterpart, Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.

“I have thought about it months ago. [But] it’s hard to decide,” Sebastian said after filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) in the Commission on Elections office here.

“I also asked my father and he said it’s all right,” he said, referring to the President, who served as mayor of Davao City for more than 20 years before winning as president in 2016.

Honesty

Despite growing up in what he described as a “political” family, Sebastian said he was still politically “inexperienced.”

“What I can offer is honesty. I would just do my job well,” said Sebastian, a law student at Jose Maria College here.

Sara said they expected their detractors to bring up the issue of political dynasty in Mindanao’s largest city, now with her brothers, resigned Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Sebastian, seeking elective posts.

Earlier, Paolo filed his COC for the first district congressional seat that would be vacated by Rep. Karlo Nograles. —WITH A REPORT FROM JUDY QUIROS