Davao dynasties: Karlo Nograles seeks to end Dutertes' decades-long hold on city
MANILA, Philippines — Karlo Nograles, Rodrigo Duterte’s former Cabinet secretary, wants to do what none have pulled off for over two decades: to beat a Duterte for the Davao mayoralty.
Nograles on Tuesday, October 8, filed his certificate of candidacy for Davao City Mayor before the Commission on Elections a day after he resigned as chairperson of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
In his resignation letter, Nograles said he was stepping down to return to Davao City where he hopes “to bring and apply the lessons I have learned in my tenure as the head of the Commission, as well as my two decades in government.” The decision to resign was difficult, he added.
The lawmaker is set to face off against former President Rodrigo Duterte for the position of Davao mayor, which Sebastian Duterte, the former president’s youngest son, currently holds.
Reports on Tuesday indicate that the former president may have already walked back on his candidacy for Davao mayor in favor of a Senate run.
Karlo is the son of Prospero Nograles, who served as House speaker from 2008 to 2010 under then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Prospero is a long-time rival of Duterte who, for three decades, repeatedly attempted to edge him out of the Davao mayoralty.
The old Nograles-Duterte rivalry was temporarily put to rest after Prospero backed Rodrigo for the presidency in 2016.
Karlo was given several plum posts during Rodrigo's presidency from 2016 to 2022. In November 2018, Rodrigo appointed him Cabinet secretary. He also served as acting presidential spokesperson and co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
In March 2022, Karlo was appointed chairperson of the CSC — a post he was supposed to hold until 2029 before his resignation on Monday.
Duterte dynasty
Since June 2001, Davao City has been led by a member of the Duterte family, marking at least 22 consecutive years in power.
The former president served as the city mayor of Davao from 2001 to 2010, with terms spanning 2001-2004, 2004-2007, and 2007-2010.
He was succeeded by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who was elected for the 2010-2013 term.
After another three-year term as mayor from 2013 to 2016, the Duterte patriarch ran for the presidency.
During his presidency, his children took on the role of city mayor: Sara served from 2016 to 2019 and again from 2019 to 2022.
Sebastian then took over after Sara resigned in March 2022 to focus on her vice-presidential campaign. He was elected for the term of 2022-2025.
In December 2023, amid a row between the House of Representatives and the former president, Karlo’s sister, Migs Nograles, filed a House resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission to suspend the franchise of Swara Sug Media Corp., which operates SMNI.
The resolution came after known disinformation peddlers and SMNI hosts Eric Celiz and Lorraine Badoy claimed House Speaker Martin Romualdez had P1.8 billion worth of travel funds during a broadcast.
Migs Nograles to challenge Paolo
Neophyte lawmaker Rep. Migs Nograles (PBA Partylist), meanwhile, has filed her candidacy for the position of Davao City 1st district representative.
She will primarily face off against her House colleague and rival Paolo Duterte.
Both House members traded barbs in July after Paolo accused Migs of withholding aid funds from his constituents amid the growing rift between their families. Specifically, Paolo said Migs had politicized the distribution of welfare assistance in the city.
Migs, who is also House deputy minority leader, denied Paolo's allegation and said the Department of Social Welfare and Development had "made it clear that the department's funds in Davao are sufficient and are being utilized."
Migs was among several lawmakers who pressed Vice President Sara Duterte about her office's use of confidential funds during the House budget deliberations.
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