Robin Padilla Takes Leave as PDP Laban Pres; Baste Duterte Takes Over
BASTE DUTERTE – The Davao Vice Mayor-elect assumed the post as the president of PDP-Laban after Senator Robin Padilla takes a leave.
One of the oldest political parties in the Philippines is the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or more popularly known as the PDP–Laban. Its chairman is former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte who is currently under the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Not only the former President holds a position in the PDP-Laban. His youngest son, outgoing Davao Mayor Baste Duterte, is also a vice president of the political party. Despite his detention in the ICC, former Pres. Duterte who ran alongside his son for the Davao mayoralty race won the 2025 Midterm Elections.
The younger Duterte also won as Davao Vice Mayor in the recent poll. Currently, the former President has yet to take an oath as mayor of Davao and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) previously said that he has to be physically present in office to fulfill his duties as city mayor.
Prior to the 2025 Midterm Elections, amid the campaign period, PDP-Laban president Sen. Robin Padilla flew to The Hague to visit former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. However, there was no report confirming that he was allowed by the ICC to see the former President.
Despite being detained in The Hague, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte supported the senatorial slate of the PDP-Laban. He asked his children to campaign fervently for the political party’s bets.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and her siblings campaigned fervently for the #Duter10. The political party also adopted the two (2) other senatorial candidates endorsed by the Vice President, Sen. Imee Marcos and Las Piñas District Representative Camille Villar, as guest candidates of the party.
Three (3) senatorial candidates from the #Duter10 as well as Sen. Marcos and Rep. Villar won in the 2025 Elections. They are set to join the 20th Congress. Recently, PDP-Laban president and Sen. Robin Padilla took his leave to focus on his work as a senator.
Based on a report on GMA News, Sen. Robin Padilla said he will “push for the party’s legislative agenda” in the incoming 20th Congress. Davao Vice Mayor-elect Baste Duterte will assume the post as president of the PDP-Laban.
“Layunin ko pong ituon ang aking atensyon sa aking tungkulin bilang senador, lalo na sa paghahanda sa pagbubukas ng 20th Congress,” Padilla stated in his letter to Alfonso Cusi, the vice chairman of the party.
Recently, at an event with the Vice President and the Presidential Sister in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sen. Robin Padilla claimed that he will be the campaign manager of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos in 2028.