Mariel Padilla shared this post featuring Robin Padilla and Baste Duterte
Netizens commented on this “chemistry” post that celebrity vlogger Mariel Padilla shared on her Facebook page, showcasing Senator Robin Padilla and Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte’s encounter.
Mayor Baste was called to the Senate impeachment court for the ongoing impeachment trial of his older sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.
During the trial on September 29, 2026, Senate President Chiz Escudero, acting as the head of the impeachment court, officially declared “Baste” Duterte a hostile witness.
Escudero made this decision because Baste is closely related to Vice President Sara Duterte, has openly doubted the legitimacy of the impeachment trial, and refused to testify until he was legally forced by a subpoena. Because of this declaration, prosecutors are now legally allowed to ask Baste leading questions to get direct answers.
Mayor Baste Duterte’s Senate appearance garnered different reactions, especially for his outfit and gestures. Some netizens commented that he looked like a “mafia boss,” and his hand gesture while touching his face at one point became controversial, as he appeared to be making the middle finger.
The Mayor’s photos capturing his interaction with Senator Robin Padilla also caught the attention of the online community, and it was because of the caption that Mariel Padilla wrote in her Facebook post.
Mariel stated, “[fist bump emoji] hanggang sa dulo. Today na-witness ko ang chemistry ng dalawa [salute emoji].” The celebrity vlogger also included the hashtag “brothers.”
In the comment section of her post, supporters of Padilla and Duterte expressed positive reactions. Some even commented that the two politicians could be a tandem in the 2028 elections because Mariel mentioned “chemistry.”
However, in a Reddit post about this, Sen. Robin Padilla and Mayor Baste Duterte were slammed by their critics, and the possibility that they could team up for the next elections.
