Duterte Mother Passes Away
Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte confirmed the death of his 96-year-old mother on Saturday whom he said was cremated following a mass at noon of the same day.
Duterte clarified that it was the wish of his mother, Nanay Soling, to let go of the wake and to set out her remains within 24 hours when she passed away at 3 a.m. Saturday at the Davao Doctors Hospital here.
Speaking on Sunday at the public affairs program, “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” Duterte apologized to the relatives and friends who were not informed of the development.
“Ang akong mama, mao gyud nay gitugon. Dili siya gusto ug daghang seremonyas. Gusto niya nga mamatay siya 24 hours ilubong siya. Among gi-cremate ang iyang lawas. Ang iyang ingon, isabwag ang iyang abo sa pipila ka lugar nga iyang gipili (It was my mother’s request. She doesn’t want many rituals. She wanted to be buried within 24 hours. We cremated her body. She also told us to spread her ashes to some places she wanted),” he said.
Duterte stressed he only followed the last wish of his mother.
Nanay Soling Duterte had been looked upon as an icon of democracy in the city when she, together with peace-loving leaders of the city, headed the Yellow Friday Movement, an active-non-violent group that dissented the authoritarian government of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.