PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has admitted that his eldest son Paolo had consulted him before announcing his decision to resign as Davao vice-mayor during a special session of the city council on Christmas Day. He thinks it is possible that his son, nicknamed “Pulong,” had grown weary of the issues and intrigues being hurled his way. “Nagtanong siya kagabi . . . Habang naghihintay kami ng balita, tinanong niya ako. Sabi ko sa kanya, kako ikaw. You are in the position to do what is right. Kung ano lang ang tama sayo ay gawin mo [He asked me last night, while we were waiting for updates on the mall fire, about what I thought of his decision. I said, ‘it’s up to you. Just do what you think is right],” said the President late on Christmas Day, adding that Pulong may have been hurt by insinuations he had abused his influence as presidential son to stage the controversial pictorial in Malacañan Palace of his daughter Isabelle. The pictorial drew flak because the seal of the President was used as backdrop in violation of laws. In his opening statement that shocked the city council as it held a special session on Christmas to approve the release of the balance of Davao’s 2017 disaster funds, Pulong Duterte had alluded to marital problems and his “very public squabble” with his daughter as among the recent incidents that prompted his resignation. But he also cited an earlier controversy: allegations of involvement in the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling. It remained unclear if the President would act on his son’s resignation, after Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said this needed approval by the Office of the President and that he is deemed “on leave” in the meantime. — News5/interaksyon.com

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR