Rodrigo Duterte

In 1973, Rodrigo Duterte married Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman, a flight attended of German-American ancestry. They have three children; Paolo, Sara and Sebastian Duterte. Among them Paolo and Sara joined politics while Sebastian became a businessman.

Duterte was not a faithful husband. Even while he was married to Zimmerman, he went public about his infidelity and philandering. Consequently in 1998, Zimmerman filed an annulment, which was granted in 2000. They however, remained friends and as the marriage was not nullified by Roman Catholic Church she continues to use her former husband’s surname Duterte.

In the middle of 1990s, Duterte developed a relationship with Filipino businessperson and former nurse Cielito Avanceña. Later she became his common-law-wife and they now live together in Manila. They have a daughter called Veronica.

Rodrigo Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin, Philippines. His father, Vicente G. Duterte, was a Cebuano lawyer. Later he became the acting mayor of Danao and after that, the provincial governor of the then-undivided Davao province.

Rodrigo’s mother, Soledad Roa, was a school teacher and a civic leader. Rodrigo was born second of his parents’ five children. His sister Eleanore was the eldest of the lot while Jocelyn was the youngest. Between him and Jocelyn are two brothers, Emmanuel or Blue Boy; and Benjamin or Bong.

Rodrigo, lovingly called Digong, started his education at Laboon Elementary School in Maasin. But within one year, the family shifted to Davao City, where he was admitted to Santa Ana Elementary School, passing out from there in 1956.

His high school education was not at all smooth. After being expelled from two schools for unruly behavior, he was finally admitted to the High School Department of the then Holy Cross College (now Cor Jesu College) in Digos and ultimately completed his schooling from there.

It was not that he was a bad student. He just enjoyed hanging around with city toughs and became street-smart, picking up their vocabulary and mannerism. Although it caused immense trouble during his school days and earned him severe whipping at home the experience later helped him to connect with the masses.

Rodrigo Roa Duterte began his career at Davao City bar. Subsequently in 1977, he became Special Counsel at the City Prosecution Office, serving in the post until 1979.

From 1979 to 1981, he served as the Fourth Assistant City Prosecutor; from 1981 to 1983, as the Third Assistant City Prosecutor and from 1983 to 1986, as the Second Assistant City Prosecutor.

Meanwhile in 1983, People’s Power Revolution began which in 1986, overthrew the dictatorial government of Ferdinand Marcos and restored democratic institutions in the country. In the same year, Duterte was appointed as the Officer-in-charge Vice Mayor for the City of Davao.

In 1988, he contested the election for the Mayoral post and won. Subsequently, he won two more terms, remaining in the position till 1998. During this period, he set an example by choosing his deputy mayors from the Lumad and Moro communities, a practice that was later emulated by other cities.

As the country’s law does not allow any person to hold any civic office for more than three consecutive terms, he could not stand in the mayoral election in 1998. So, Duterte chose to run for the House of Representatives and won.

Duterte’s war on drugs is one of his most important works that he undertook as the Mayor of Davao City. Although many accuse him of human rights violation and extra judicial killings he was able to eradicate the menace and make the city free from drugs

Using city funds, he also had a drug rehabilitation and treatment center built at the cost of ₱12-million. It provides 24-hour services. In 2003, he floated a plan that provided a monthly allowance of ₱2,000 to drug addicts who personally approached him and promised to give up the habit.

As a Mayor, he also started a war on crime. During his tenure the crime rate went down drastically. While in 1985, the rate was triple digit figure per 1000 people, from 1999 to 2005, it became 8.0 cases 1000. Because of his ruthless eradication of criminals he has been dubbed as ‘The Punisher’ by Times Magazine.