Karlo Nograles concedes to mayor-elect Rodrigo Duterte
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 May) – Defeated mayoralty candidate Karlo Alexei Nograles conceded Friday evening to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who overwhelmingly won the city’s top post during the May 12 elections.
Based on the tally of the Board of Canvassers here, the Duterte patriarch won by a landslide with 662,630 votes while Nograles, former Civil Service Commission chair, only got 80,852 votes. The other contenders — Bishop Rod Cubos got 7,757 votes, Jonathan Julaine 1,351 and Joselito Ran 1,139.
In a statement issued Friday evening, or three days after Duterte was proclaimed mayor on Tuesday, Nograles expressed deep gratitude to his supporters, volunteers, and family members, acknowledging their efforts to campaign for his candidacy.
“Dili gyud masukod ang akong pagpasalamat kaninyong tanan (I am truly immeasurably grateful to all of you),” Nograles said.
He also offered prayers for the people of Davao City, emphasizing “unity and continued service for the common good.”
“Magpadayon ako sa pag-ampo alang kaninyo ug sa inyong mga pamilya nga kita, mga katawhan sa Davao ug tanang Pilipino, magpadayon nga mahimong panalangin sa uban ug kanunay unta kitang giyahan sa kahayag ug kalinaw sa Ginoo (I will continue to pray for you and your families, for the people of Davao and all Filipinos that we may continue to be a blessing to others and that we will always be guided by the Lord’s light and peace),” he added.
Nograles, who ran as an independent candidate but believed backed by the Marcos administration, has teamed up with the Garcias of the 2nd District and the Al-ags of the 3rd District to challenge the Duterte patriarch.
His admission of defeat comes after a closely watched race, with Duterte’s candidacy drawing national and international attention because the former president is currently detained at The Hague, Netherlands by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the bloody “war on drugs.”
According to Section 46(a) of the Local Government Code, when the mayor is temporarily incapacitated to perform their duties due to physical or legal reasons such as leave of absence, travel abroad, or suspension from office, the vice mayor shall automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties of the mayor.
However, the law states that the vice mayor cannot appoint, suspend, or dismiss employees unless the period of temporary incapacity exceeds thirty 30 working days.
In a television interview, Abdullah Matalam, Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region 11 director, said they are waiting for their national office’s decision, given that Duterte has been proclaimed.
He opined, however, that the rule of succession will be followed, in accordance with Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.
Antonio Arellano, Dean of the University of Mindanao’s College of Legal Education, said Duterte has to qualify as the newly-elected mayor by taking the oath of office. “The taking of oath is the requisite before he can qualify to hold the office,” he said.
“I am not familiar with the protocol on venue of the oath-taking but my take is that the venue is of no moment. What is legally required is that the public officer who shall administer the oath must be one who has legal authority to do so,” Arellano said.
In an interview, former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III told MindaNews that the former president “can take his oath anywhere with notice to ICC.”
Except for the years 1998 to 2001 when Duterte could not run for mayor because of term limit, Duterte served as mayor for 22 years – 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010 and 2013 to 2016.
The Dutertes have held the mayoralty of the city for 34 years: the 80-year old patriarch for 22 years, his daughter Sara for nine years and his son Sebastian for three years. The latter ran and won as vice mayor in the May 12 polls. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
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