‘Stubborn’ Duterte finished high school in 7 years

It took a young Rodrigo Duterte seven years to finish high school because he was stubborn, even playing a prank on a teacher that led to his expulsion from church-run Ateneo de Davao.

This was revealed by his long time friend and former classmate, Davao City Administrator Jesus Melchor Quitain, in a report Thursday of GMA News' Cedric Castillo on GMA News TV's "News To Go."

"Nilagyan niya ng thumbtacks 'yung inuupuan ng maestra (teacher). Pagkaupo ng maestra, hindi na ma-drawing ang mukha," Quitain said.

Duterte then transferred to the Holy Cross of Digos (now Cor Jesu College) in Digos City, where he finished his secondary education, along with now Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, in 1963.

"He (Duterte) actually came back for back subjects in religious studies in 1963. That's when they both graduated with Jess Dureza and (newspaper columnist) Karl Gaspar pero official (record) niya sa DepEd (Department of Education) is 1962," said CJC external and alumni affairs officer Nelson Tandug.

However, Quitain said Duterte already paid attention to his academics when they studied college in Manila.

Duterte eventually became a lawyer, prosecutor, Davao City mayor for over two decades and made history as the country's first president from Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Tandug said the CJC will keep Duterte's transcript of records in a museum the school plans to build.

"Suffice it to say it will show you seven years of high school. That's not normal. Kahit nung panahon nila hindi," Tandug said. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News