He may be tough to drug offenders, corrupt officials, and rights critics but President Duterte readily yields to his feisty daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio.
The President has learned not to pick a fight with his “maldita” daughter, saying he would never win any argument with her anyway.
“Davaoeños complained about Inday. But I myself can’t, Inday is very naughty. She answers back and that starts a fight. Us fathers can’t fight with our daughters because we will never win,” Duterte said during his visit to Zamboanga Sibugay.
“You cannot win an argument especially with a daughter because yawyawan ka pa and you cannot answer back because she’s your daughter,” he said.
Duterte noted that Sara’s tough demeanor has been on full display as chief executive of their hometown Davao City. He said Sara was so strict she has imposed a midnight curfew and banned smoking in the city, making Davao feel like a solemn Good Friday every day.
“Sometimes, Inday is too strict. The people there are not very festive,” he said. “Because Inday imposed a rule that nobody is allowed to be out and about on the streets by 12 midnight. You can’t even go out just to smoke a cigarette. Everyone will be arrested. So everybody stays at home. Davao is so quiet. Everyday feels like Good Friday,” he said.
The President admires his daughter’s fighting spirit, recalling how she once punched a sheriff who wanted to demolish houses in Davao City.
Mayor Duterte has been reportedly tagged by some lawmakers as the force behind the ouster of House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez and installation of Pampanga Rep. Gloria M. Arroyo as the new leader of the House of Representatives.
The sudden leadership change was reportedly driven by Mayor Duterte’s bitter feud with Alvarez. She slammed the Davao lawmaker.
