Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte accused the Marcos administration of allowing “foreign influence” to distort justice in the Philippines and worsen the gap between the rich and the poor.

He implied that inequality became more severe under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., compared to the situation under his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Rating: MISLEADING

Why we checked this

Sunstar Davao has published Baste Duterte’s speech, amplified by pro-Duterte pages framing his claims as proof of “heightened inequality” caused by the current administration.

The statements also revive narratives about foreign intervention and alleged “injustice” under Marcos Jr.

It’s vital to verify these assertions, especially when they involve macroeconomic indicators and historical comparison.

THE CLAIM

In a speech in 30 November 2025, Sebastian Duterte lambasted the administration of Marcos Jr.

He laccused the Marcos administration of allowing foreign interference in national affairs; engaging in uneven justice that allegedly targets the powerless; and presiding over a period where inequality “has worsened,” creating a bigger gap between the poor and the elite.

He implied that the situation significantly deteriorated under Marcos Jr., contrasting it with his father’s presidency.

THE FACTS

1. Inequality did NOT widen uniquely under Marcos Jr. — it has been persistently high for decades

Data from government and international institutions show that income inequality in the Philippines has remained structurally high for more than 30 years, with only incremental improvements and no administration—Duterte’s included—achieving significant narrowing of the gap.

a. During Rodrigo Duterte (2016–2022)

1. The Gini coefficient — the standard measure of inequality (0 = perfect equality; 1 = perfect inequality) — hovered between 0.42 and 0.44, among the highest in Southeast Asia.

2. The poorest 50% of Filipinos saw minimal gains in real income.

3. Wealth remained concentrated: the top 1% controlled more than 30% of total wealth, according to Credit Suisse and World Bank estimates.

4. The COVID-19 pandemic widened the gap further as poor households lost livelihoods faster than higher-income groups.

Conclusion: Inequality under Duterte did not improve; in fact, it deepened during the pandemic years.

b. Under Marcos Jr. (2022–2025)

1. The latest PSA data still place inequality at a high 0.40+, with only fractional fluctuations.

2. Poverty incidence has slightly decreased in some regions but increased in others, still driven by inflation and wage stagnation.

3. Structural issues—low wages, weak social protection, low tax effort of the wealthy—remain unchanged.

Conclusion: Inequality remains high because it is structural, not because of Marcos policies alone.

The claim that Marcos “worsened” inequality while Duterte “reduced” it is FALSE. Both administrations operated within the same economic structure that produces persistent inequality.

2. Foreign influence did not start under Marcos Jr.

Baste Duterte blamed the Marcos administration for “foreign influence,” including: dependence on external partners, Western pressure via institutions like the ICC, and a supposed “imperial posture” tied to foreign-backed infrastructure.

The facts:

Duterte himself actively realigned Philippine foreign policy. He ended the Visiting Forces Agreement (and later restoring it), courted China heavily, received billions in pledges from Beijing (most of which did not materialize), and allowed the influx of POGO operations linked to Chinese actors.

Many foreign-financed projects—Japan’s subway, China’s bridges, ADB-funded infrastructure—began during Duterte’s term.

Also, the Philippines’ ICC issue began during Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, not under Marcos Jr.

Conclusion: Foreign involvement in Philippine politics, security, and infrastructure predates, and in some cases intensified during, Duterte’s presidency. Marcos inherited—not created—these external entanglements.

3. The “uneven justice” argument needs context

Baste Duterte said justice now favors elites and suppresses ordinary people.

But during his father’s term the drug war killed between 6,000 and 30,000 people, mostly urban poor. Human rights groups documented near-total impunity for extrajudicial killings. Wealthy drug personalities and powerful syndicates were rarely convicted. And the Commission on Audit flagged irregularities in government spending—including Pharmally—without prosecution of high-level actors.

Conclusion: If justice is “uneven” today, it was already severely uneven under Rodrigo Duterte, especially for the poor.

No data supports the idea that inequality in the justice system is uniquely worse under Marcos.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Baste Duterte’s claim that inequality widened because of Marcos Jr. is MISLEADING.

The Philippines has suffered from high inequality for decades, including throughout his father’s presidency. Structural factors—not merely the policies of one president—drive the persistent rich-poor divide.

His accusations of foreign interference also lack context.

Foreign influence has been deeply embedded in Philippine governance and was aggressively cultivated—especially by China—during Rodrigo Duterte’s term.

On justice, his comparison is inaccurate.

Uneven justice, impunity, and inequity did not begin after 2022; they were defining issues during his father’s presidency.

Why this matters

Baste Duterte’s statements fit into a broader political narrative positioning the Duterte camp against the Marcos administration ahead of 2025–2028 electoral alignments.

His claims about inequality, sovereignty, and justice shape public perception but must be grounded in facts, not selective memory.

About The Author

Daily Sun Chronicle Research

Daily Sun Chronicle Research is a dynamic pool of writers, analysts, and field correspondents with diverse professional backgrounds and wide-ranging interests. Our team brings together seasoned journalists, emerging storytellers, subject-matter specialists, and community-based researchers who share a common commitment to truth-telling and public service.

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