Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th president of the Philippines, erred in citing the year of establishment of the country’s first republic during an April 4 public speech in Mataasnakahoy, Batangas.
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In the same speech, Duterte inaccurately claimed that his relatives from the Durano political clan have been leading Danao City, Cebu for “almost 15 decades.” He made the claim shortly after suggesting to amend the 1987 Constitution to prevent “rich” and political dynasties from misusing the party-list system, intended to give underrepresented sectors a voice in the House of Representatives.
He claimed that being from a poor family in Danao City forced them to migrate to Mindanao to avoid a potential turf war with the ruling Durano political dynasty:
“Lahat ng pumunta [sa] Mindanao, umalis sa bayan nila kasi naghahanap ng greener pasture, kagaya ng tatay ko, mahirap man sila doon sa Danao, Cebu City — ah Cebu — Danao City, Cebu Province. Eh hawak nila Durano — Durano family matagal, ilang — about almost 15 decades. After the war, sila na … Pinsan namin because ‘yung asawa Duterte… Kaysa magpatayan — ganoon talaga ang nangyari — magkainitan, sumibat na lang siya. Dinala kami doon sa Mindanao. So laking hirap talaga ako.”
(Everybody who went to Mindanao, they left their town to search for greener pastures, like my father. They were poor from Danao City, Cebu. But the Durano family rules [Danao City]. The Durano family has been [in power] for almost 15 decades. After the war, they began ruling …We are cousins because the spouse is a Duterte … To prevent any killings — that would really happen — or conflict, [my father] left. He brought us to Mindanao. So I really grew up in poverty.)
Source: Presidential Communications Operations official website, Talk to the People of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, April 4, 2022, watch from 26:59 to 28:02
Contrary to his claim, records from the Danao City official government website show that members of the political clan have been in power for almost 62 years only, or just more than six decades.
Beatriz Duterte-Durano, the first mayor of Danao City, was elected in 1956, almost 11 years after World War 2. Since 1956, several members of the Durano family have been taking turns in occupying the city’s top seat of power. The incumbent mayor of Danao is Beatriz’s son, Ramon “Nito” Durano III. Ramon’s son, Thomas Mark (known as Mix), is currently vice mayor. The father-and-son tandem will try to switch positions in the May 9 elections, with Ramon now vying for vice mayor and Thomas Mark for mayor.
Beatriz was a paternal aunt of Duterte. She became mayor 12 years after her cousin, Vicente, Duterte’s father, served as mayor of Danao City from 1944 to 1946.
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Sources
Presidential Communications Operations official website, Talk to the People of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, April 4, 2022 (transcript)
National Historical Commission of the Philippines official website, 123rd Anniversary of the First Philippine Republic, Jan. 20, 2022
National Historical Commission of the Philippines official website, The First Philippine Republic, Sept. 7, 2012
Official Gazette official website, Republic Day, Accessed April 4, 2022
Official Gazette official website, Republic Act No. 11014, April 5, 2018
Official Gazette official website, Constitution Day, Accessed April 4, 2022
Official Gazette official website, Araw Ng Kagitingan, Accessed April 4, 2022
Official Gazette official website, The Executive Branch, Accessed April 4, 2022
Danao City government official website, HISTORY, Accessed April 4, 2022
Danao City government official website, Mayor Nito D Durano, Accessed April 4, 2022
Cebu Daily News (published on the Inquirer.net, official website) Duranos still dominate Danao’s politics, Oct. 12, 2018
Sunstar official website, Cebu’s old political clans still rule Cebu’s polls, May 25, 2019
The Freeman (published on the Philstar.com official website), Tinudlo sa mayor sa Danao gikwestiyon (translated), Aug. 27, 2017
Danao City government official website, The City Officials, Accessed April 4, 2022
Commission on Elections official website, Ballot face (Danao City, Cebu), Accessed April 4, 2022
Manila Times official website, Ramon Durano marries Beatriz Duterte (column), Accessed April 4, 2022
Inquirer.net official website, ‘Kanto boy’? Duterte is so ‘de buena familia’ (‘sa totoo lang’) May 29, 2016
The Freeman (published on the Philstar.com official website), Ramon Durano Sr.’s “political chain” (column) Oct. 24, 2018
Presidential Communications Operations official website, President Duterte commemorates father’s 52nd death anniversary, Feb. 22, 2020
(Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.)
