Rodrigo Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin City, Southern Leyte,

Philippines to Vicente G. Duterte and Soledad "Soleng" Roa-Duterte. The family shifted
to Davao in 1951. Dutertes father was a civic leader and a school teacher. He was the
Governor of the then undivided Davao and Soledad Roa. Rodrigos mother was the
Provincial Governor of Davao for six long years. He has a brother, Benjamin "Bong"
Duterte and a younger sister, Jocelyn Duterte.
EDUCATION
Rodrigo attended the Sta. Ana Elementary School in Davao City. He went to various
schools for his secondary education. Duterte did his Bachelor of Arts from Lyceum of the
Philippines University in Manila. He has a degree in law from San Beda College, Manila.
Duterte was a part of the Lex Talionis Fraternitas while studying at the San Beda College.
He has always been an activist and has always stood up for what he believes is right. He
shot a fellow student for making racist and lowly ethnicist remarks. Since the victim
survived, Rody was allowed to continue and complete his law degree. however, he wasn't
allowed in the graduation ceremony.
EARLY CAREER
Rodrigo Duterte started his Law career as a Special Counsel at the City Prosecution
Office, Davao City in 1977. Swiftly climbing the ladder of success, he became the second
Assistant City Prosecutor within a span of just six years in 1983.
Duterte assumed the office of officer-in-charge Vice Mayor in 1986. Focused and
committed, Rodrigo contested for the post of mayor in 1988 and won. He served as the

Mayor for 10 long years. He had a vision and started out by appointing deputy mayors to
take care of the interests of the Lumad and Muslim communities.
Duterte contested the House of Representatives elections and came out victorious as the
Congressman of Davao Citys first district. Success smiled on him again when he won
the elections for mayor in 2001.
Duterte had made his mark and was re-elected in 2004 and 2007. It is no mean feat that
he reigned supreme as mayor, Davao City for seven terms, meaning 22 long years.
Duterte was elected as Vice-Mayor in 2010. His fortitude and commitment can be
adjudged from the fact that he refused to be selected for the World Mayor Prize, given by
an international body.

Rodrigo Duterte: 16th President of the Philipines

Quick Facts

Profile

Rodrigo "Rody" Roa Duterte is the Mayor of Davao City, Philippines. A politician-cumFilipino lawyer, Duterte has held the chair of the Mayor for 22 long years.

Rodrigo Duterte With Manny Pacquiao

He was a Congress man and the vice-mayor of Davao city. Duterte is instrumental is
converting Davao, a city ridden with crimes to "the most peaceful city in Southeast Asia",
no mean feat indeed!

Rodrigo Duterte is contesting the Philippines presidential elections 2016. He has surged
ahead of his rivals according to the latest opinion poll.

Childhood

Rodrigo Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin City, Southern Leyte,
Philippines to Vicente G. Duterte and Soledad "Soleng" Roa-Duterte. The family shifted
to Davao in 1951. Dutertes father was a civic leader and a school teacher.

He was the Governor of the then undivided Davao and Soledad Roa. Rodrigos mother
was the Provincial Governor of Davao for six long years. He has a brother, Benjamin
"Bong" Duterte and a younger sister, Jocelyn Duterte.

Education

Rodrigo attended the Sta. Ana Elementary School in Davao City. He went to various
schools for his secondary education. Duterte did his Bachelor of Arts from Lyceum of the

Philippines University in Manila. He has a degree in law from San Beda College, Manila.
Duterte was a part of the Lex Talionis Fraternitas while studying at the San Beda College.

He has always been an activist and has always stood up for what he believes is right. He
shot a fellow student for making racist and lowly ethnicist remarks. Since the victim
survived, Rody was allowed to continue and complete his law degree. however, he wasn't
allowed in the graduation ceremony.

Early Career

Rodrigo Duterte started his Law career as a Special Counsel at the City Prosecution
Office, Davao City in 1977. Swiftly climbing the ladder of success, he became the second
Assistant City Prosecutor within a span of just six years in 1983.

Duterte assumed the office of officer-in-charge Vice Mayor in 1986. Focused and
committed, Rodrigo contested for the post of mayor in 1988 and won. He served as the
Mayor for 10 long years. He had a vision and started out by appointing deputy mayors to
take care of the interests of the Lumad and Muslim communities.

Duterte contested the House of Representatives elections and came out victorious as the
Congressman of Davao Citys first district. Success smiled on him again when he won
the elections for mayor in 2001.

Duterte had made his mark and was re-elected in 2004 and 2007. It is no mean feat that
he reigned supreme as mayor, Davao City for seven terms, meaning 22 long years.

Duterte was elected as Vice-Mayor in 2010. His fortitude and commitment can be
adjudged from the fact that he refused to be selected for the World Mayor Prize, given by
an international body.

Heights

It was a proud moment for Davao City and its Mayor when it was awarded the National
Literacy Hall of Fame Award for qualifying for the Outstanding Local Government Unit
Highly Urbanized City category thrice. Davao City was rated as the fourth safest city
in the world according to the Numbeo.com survey in 2015.

From being a city known as the crime capital of the nation to now being hailed as the
most peaceful city in South-East Asia, Davao City owes this transition to only one man,
Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte established a P-12 million 24-hour drug rehabilitation and
treatment centre.

The crime-busting mayor visits the new Peoples Army camps and discusses and
encourages efforts of peace transactions and promotes diplomacy. Duterte supports the
Federal form of Government and has held interactions with former mayors and governors
to restore this form of Government.

Rodrigo Dutertes announcement to contest the Presidential elections 2016 came amidst
an overwhelming public support. He has promised to eradicate the Philippine Congress
and promote the Parliament if he wins.

Personal Life

Rodrigo Duterte married Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman. An air-hostess, she is of

German-American descent. The couple is blessed with three children, Paolo, Sara, and
Sebastian.

Duterte is known to be equally strict with his own family members as he is with other
miscreants. He came under a lot of criticism when he said, "Kill my son Paolo if he is
involved in crime." Paolo, however, was not convicted, because of lack of evidence.

Despite being listed as 'Single' in the websites, he lives with his common-law
wife, Cieleto "Honeylet" Avancea, who is a nurse. They have a daughter, Veronica.

Rodrigo has eight Grandchildren in all, half of whom are Muslims and half are
Christians.

In 1998, however, Zimmerman petitioned for divorce citing infidelity on Rody's part and
he did not deny the charges. He had been pretty open about his flaws as well. The divorce
was granted without any contest on Rody's part.

His father passed away in 1968 and his mother, in 2012. in 2015, his ex-wife Elizabeth
Zimmerman was diagnosed with Breast cancer.