Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte has called on Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III to sign a waiver freeing his younger brother, acting Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, from any legal liability ahead of their highly publicized charity boxing match.
Speaking in a radio interview on Friday, July 25, the congressman raised serious concerns about the risks involved in the bout and emphasized the need for Torre to formalize his consent.
“Mag-sign muna ng waiver. Magpa-drug test na rin. Kung talagang malinis, eh ‘di go,” Paolo said, adding that if anything fatal were to happen, his brother could be held criminally responsible. “Kung mapuruhan siya at mamatay, makukulong ang kapatid ko,” he warned.
The demand for a waiver adds another layer of drama to what started as a bold challenge and is now shaping up to be a politically charged face-off. The charity match, set for Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, stems from tensions between Baste Duterte and Gen. Torre, who was instrumental in enforcing the International Criminal Court’s arrest order for former President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this year.
Mayor Baste earlier lashed out at Torre, calling him “unggoy” and setting his own condition for the fight—that all elected officials under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration undergo drug testing.
Despite the exchange of personal jabs and political tension, Torre confirmed he is pushing through with the bout, stating the venue and ring have already been prepared. The event is now being watched closely not just as a charity match but as a symbolic showdown between two figures representing opposing sides of Philippine politics.
