MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – President Rodrigo Duterte could not wait to fly back to Davao City to lay eyes on his new grandson, Stonefish Carpio.

“I’m exceedingly excited. I want to go home now, galing dito uwi na ako (from here, I will go home),” he said during a chance interview with reporters on Thursday, March 2.

He had just finished giving a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway in Cordova, Cebu.

Duterte has one more event to attend in Mactan, Cebu. But he’s sure to go straight to Davao Doctor’s Hospital once he arrives in his hometown to check on his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

The proud grandfather even had something to say about his new apo’s unique nickname. Asked about Stonefish’s name, Duterte said: “Ewan ko bakit ‘yan si Inday ang ano.” (I don’t know why Inday is like that.)

In a speech later that day in Mactan, he said, “Ang palayaw daw Stonefish, kaawa naman ang bata. Ganoon talaga. Ewan ko.” (His nickname is Stonefish, how pitiful the child. That’s how it is. I don’t know.)

But he said Stonefish’s real name is Marco Digong.

In the chance interview, he said he should have been the one to name the baby boy. He mentioned a “practice” of grandparents to “bid” among themselves for who gets to name their new grandchild. 

“Sa halip na – ipag-bidding niya raw sa akin. Ganun ang practice doon sa, that’s a practice eh. Kasi competing ‘yan eh sa in-law. Kaya kung mabili nila, bidding, kanilang ancestors. Kung ako manalo, ‘yung mga pangalan ng ancestors ko mamili,” he said.

(Instead of letting – she was going to let me bid for it. That’s a practice. It’s competing with your in-laws. That’s why if they were able to buy the rights, through bidding, they can pick a name from their ancestors. If I win, I can pick from the names of my ancestors.)

Mayor Sara and husband Manases Carpio have two other uniquely-named children aside from Stonefish: Shark, a daughter, and Stingray, a son.

Sara gave birth past 12 pm on Thursday, March 2. – Rappler.com