| Election Name: | 1988 Davao City mayoral election |
| Flag Image: | Davao City Ph official seal.png |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1980 Philippine local elections |
| Previous Year: | 1980 |
| Next Election: | 1992 Philippine general election |
| Next Year: | 1992 |
| Candidate1: | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Colour1: | FFF000 |
| Party1: | Lakas ng Dabaw |
| Running Mate1: | Carmelo Gempesaw |
| Popular Vote1: | 100,021 |
| Percentage1: | 36.94% |
| Candidate2: | Zafiro Respicio |
| Party2: | Lakas ng Bansa |
| Running Mate2: | Dominador Zuño Jr. |
| Popular Vote2: | 93,676 |
| Percentage2: | 34.59% |
| Candidate3: | Jun Pala |
| Party3: | Independent |
| Running Mate3: | Edmund Pamintuan |
| Popular Vote3: | 71,355 |
| Percentage3: | 26.35% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Jacinto Rubillar Jr. |
| Before Party: | Lakas ng Bansa |
| After Party: | Lakas ng Dabaw |
Local elections were held in Davao City on January 18, 1988, as part of the 1988 Philippine local elections. Elections for a new set of city officials were held under the new Constitution of the Philippines which was ratified in 1987.
The Lakas ng Dabaw nominee, former OIC Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, defeated former OIC Mayor Zafiro Respicio of Lakas ng Bansa and independent radio broadcaster Jun Pala.[1] [2]
After the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986 which toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos, President Corazon Aquino appointed opposition leader and former Assemblyman Zafiro Respicio as officer-in charge Mayor of Davao City, replacing Elias B. Lopez of the Nacionalista Party. Davao City Assistant Prosecutor Rodrigo Duterte, a son of the late Davao Governor Vicente Duterte, was named as OIC Vice Mayor.[3] Respicio and Duterte both served until November 1987.
Respicio was heavily favored to win the mayoral election, while opposition figures in Davao City were in search of a viable candidate against Respicio. Aside from President Aquino, Respicio also had the full backing and endorsement of former Mayor Luis Santos and Davao-based businessman Jesus V. Ayala.
In 1987, the Lakas ng Dabaw was organized as the main opposition coalition in Davao City. Former Senator Alejandro Almendras, a staunch pro-Marcos politician and Nacionalista Party stalwart, was one of the lead convenors of the party together with other pro-Marcos figures such as former mayor Lopez and former Davao City Assemblyman Manuel Garcia.
Respicio filed his candidacy under the Lakas ng Bansa with former city councilor Dominador Zuño Jr. as his running mate. Meanwhile, the Lakas ng Dabaw nominated Duterte as its nominee for the mayoral race. Duterte was initially reluctant to run for mayor, but he did so after being convinced by Almendras and Lopez to accept the nomination. Lawyer Carmelo Gempesaw was drafted as his running mate.
Jun Pala, a popular radio broadcaster and key spokesperson of the Alsa Masa vigilante group, also launched his bid for mayor as an independent candidate. Pala named fellow anti-communist crusader Edmund Pamintuan as his candidate for vice mayor.