Rodrigo Duterte, the master of political theatre, has declared his daughter’s announcement about the entire Duterte clan seeking Senate seats in 2025 a mere jest.

The elder Duterte, ever the comedian, claims he’s retired from politics, dismissing the idea of a Duterte Senate takeover as laughable. Imagine, he quips, three Dutertes under one legislative roof — it’s almost as if political dynasties are a Philippine pastime! Surely, the man who brought us six years of colorful rhetoric and iron-fisted governance has more serious pursuits now, like, say, leisurely afternoons reminiscing about his illustrious career.

Meanwhile, Sara Duterte’s “prank” has left the nation in stitches, pondering the punchline of a political landscape where family reunions double as Senate sessions.

As the curtain falls on Duterte’s era, one can only wonder if this latest act is a final bow or just intermission.