Family and supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte mark his 80th birthday yesterday by stepping up their clamor for his release while opponents called for his conviction by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
His two daughters, Vice President Sara Duterte and Veronica Duterte, expressed their birthday wishes to their detained father at the ICC’s detention center at The Hague.
In her message, the Vice President called on loyalists and supporters to pray for her father’s safe return to the Philippines and his strength and good health.
“I hope you will continue your support and love for our former president until the upcoming elections for our senators,” she said while pitching for the opposition senatorial slate.
“In your courage, support, and prayers, we rely and hope that we may achieve justice for Rodrigo Duterte, for the Filipino people, and for our nation, the Philippines,” she added.
Duterte’s eldest daughter has been in the Dutch city for over two weeks helping assemble his legal team.
For her part, Veronica, who earlier witnessed her father’s arrest, shared a heartfelt message, highlighting his strong leadership and unwavering commitment to public service.
“A man of very few words, but the most actions. My father has always been a force to be reckoned with. Even in his sunset days, he poses the biggest threat because of his bold heroism and patriotism,” she said.
“I will make sure I get to see him,” she told a Philippine television network outside the ICC detention center after she and her mother, Cielito Avancena, were denied entry anew.
Malacañang extended birthday greetings to the former president, with Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro conveying well wishes for good health and fortune.
“We wish former President Duterte a happy birthday, and if possible, we would all sing for him,” Castro said during a press briefing.
“We also wish him more years to come and good health,” she added.
Meanwhile, thousands of Duterte supporters attended a rally celebrating his birthday in Davao City, while anti-Duterte activists and relatives of alleged extrajudicial killings lit candles in protest at the Liwasang Bonifacio monument in Manila.
When asked about the divisive nature of these events, Castro said the government respects the right of individuals to express their opinions, emphasizing that freedom of expression is a constitutional right.
“We cannot stop these activities, whether by alleged victims or those sympathizing with them,” Castro said.
“It is only right that the world hears not just the interests of the former president but also the voices of the victims,” she added.
Regarding security measures, Castro confirmed that authorities have no orders to prevent peaceful assemblies but reminded participants to remain within legal boundaries.
“There are limits,” she said, however.
“Chanting to overthrow the government, inciting fear, or promoting hatred could cross the line into sedition. Leaders of these groups should be aware of their responsibilities,” the Palace spokesperson added.
The ICC chief prosecutor’s application for his arrest said Duterte’s alleged crimes were “part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population” in the Philippines.
“Potentially tens of thousands of killings were perpetrated,” the prosecutor alleged of the campaign that targeted mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs.
However, his daughter Sara, herself fighting an impeachment case for corruption, said that the once wildly popular president is convinced that what the ICC did “was wrong and there is no case to begin with.” With Cherry Villafranca