DAVAO CITY – In the ever-expanding web of the Duterte political empire, whispers of a fresh face are gaining volume: Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, the 21-year-old youngest daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is emerging as the frontrunner to fill a council seat left vacant by her nephew’s promotion. The buzz, fueled by allies in the city council, paints a picture of seamless family succession in this southern stronghold, where the Dutertes’ grip on power remains as unyielding as the city’s volcanic peaks.
The catalyst? A rapid reshuffle set to hit City Hall by late November or early December. Rodrigo “Rigo” S. Duterte, the former president’s grandson and current councilor, is poised to step up as vice mayor alongside his uncle, Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte. With Rodrigo Duterte Sr. sidelined in The Hague on International Criminal Court charges tied to his drug war, Sebastian will slide into the mayor’s chair, leaving Rigo’s council spot – the one he clinched as the top vote-getter – up for grabs.
Enter Kitty, fresh-faced and party-loyal, who’s already a card-carrying member of the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL), the Duterte machine chaired by her brother, Rep. Paolo Duterte. “Kitty would be eligible for the post should the Duterte-led HTL decide to nominate her,” Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang told reporters, nodding to legal rules that mandate replacements hail from the same party. It’s a procedural nod that could fast-track her into the 4th District seat, pending HTL’s internal huddle, a mayoral stamp, and a final nod from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Councilor Alberto Ungab didn’t sugarcoat the ripple effects: “Certainly, there will be some changes. If the acting vice mayor officially assumes the post, the committees he currently chairs will be vacated.” And if Kitty steps in? “One more Duterte would be added to the helm of the local government here,” he added with a knowing grin, hinting at a family roster that already boasts Sebastian as mayor, Rigo as vice, Paolo and his son Omar as congressmen, and Paolo’s wife January as a councilor via the barangay captains’ league.
For Kitty, it’s a potential leap from the shadows of her high-profile siblings – Vice President Sara, Paolo, and Sebastian – into the public glare. At 21, she’s the baby of the brood, but her nomination would underscore the dynasty’s knack for keeping it all in the family, a strategy that’s dominated Davao politics for over three decades. No stranger to the spotlight, she’s occasionally joined family campaigns, but this would mark her first elected (or appointed) office – a rite of passage in a clan where politics runs thicker than blood.
As the pieces fall into place, the move feels less like a surprise and more like clockwork in Davao’s red-tinted machine. With Rigo’s committee gigs – from rules to appropriations – up for reallocation, the council’s poised for a mini-reboot. For now, it’s all speculation until HTL seals the deal, but in a city where the Dutertes are synonymous with service (and scrutiny), Kitty’s entry could be the spark that lights up the next chapter of their storied saga.