Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte issued a profanity-laced tirade against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last Sunday, signaling a total collapse of the “UniTeam” alliance that swept the 2022 elections.

Speaking at the launch of the Reform Alliance for Good Governance and Accountability (RAGE) Coalition at Club Filipino, the mayor used aggressive language to describe the president, calling him “foolish” and claiming he has failed to redeem his family’s name.

“I thought this person wanted to become president to redeem the Marcos family name,” Duterte said. “I never really imagined he would turn out to be that foolish.”

The mayor revisited drug-related allegations previously raised by his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

He specifically pointed to recent online speculation regarding Marcos’ physical appearance during a March speech, suggesting without evidence that the president’s behavior was consistent with drug use.

Duterte further alleged that the Marcos administration has allowed a resurgence of the very issues his father campaigned against: drugs and corruption.

He also criticized the President’s handling of the ongoing oil crisis and flood control projects, claiming that a recent controversy involving “ghost projects” would eventually “blow up” in the president’s face.

The rhetoric turned toward the 2028 elections as Duterte echoed Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent interest in a presidential bid. He called on the public to “reclaim the country” from what he described as a government dominated by oligarchs.

“We only need one head — the head of Bongbong Marcos,” Duterte said, a statement stressing the personal nature of the escalating political feud.

The mayor also addressed the suspension of Value-Added Tax on fuel, a move proposed by some lawmakers to ease the impact of tensions in the Middle East. Duterte alleged that the administration refuses to remove the tax because it would limit opportunities for corruption.

The verbal assault comes at a high-stakes moment for the Duterte family. Former President Rodrigo Duterte remains in the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, facing charges of crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte is facing the threat of impeachment — proceedings her allies claim are politically motivated attacks orchestrated by the Marcos administration to dismantle the Mindanao-based political bloc.