President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he did not advise his son Paolo Duterte to resign as the Vice Mayor of Davao City. However, he told his son “to do what is right.”
“I never suggested any resignation,” Duterte said.
The presidential son announced his resignation on Christmas day, saying his principle of delicadeza pushed him to step down from his post.
“Sabi ko sa kanya, [I told him] … You are in a position to do what is right. Kung ano lang ang tama sa iyo, gawin mo [Do what is right for you, do it],” Duterte added.
Duterte, said that Paolo might have been tired with the accusations hurled against him.
“Sabi ko, ‘Ikaw, you…’ Siguro ‘yung sa anak niya, ‘yung pictorial at ‘yung, baka nasaktan din siya noong ‘yung mga insinuation [I said, you… Maybe it was about his daughter, the pictorial and the… Maybe he was hurt because of the insinuation],” Duterte said.
“Let the people decide. But if you think that there is a better [way] to do it, do what is right.” ‘Yun lang [that’s it],” the President added.
In Duterte’s resignation, the vice mayor cited the accusations against him in the smuggling of P6.4-billion worth of shabu from China to the Philippines, his failed marriage with his first wife, and his recent heated exchange of words with his daughter Isabelle as reasons for his resignation.
“There are recent unfortunate events in my life that are closely tied to my failed first marriage. These, among others, include the maligning of my reputation in the recent name dropping incident in the Bureau of Customs smuggling case and the very public squabble with my daughter. The other person in this failed relationship is incorrigible and cannot be controlled. And I take responsibility for all that has happened as a result of a wrong decision to marry at a very young age,” Duterte earlier said.
The resignation of a vice mayor will only be effective upon the approval of the President.