More than a week after they held a rally, Vice President Sara Duterte held a meet-and-greet event with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are also her supporters in Japan on Sunday, Jan. 12.
Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to her Filipino supporters during a meet and greet event in Tokyo, Japan. (SMNI/Facebook)
A post by SMNI News on its social media pages showed the meeting in an undisclosed location in Tokyo, Japan between Duterte and her Filipino supporters.
“Filipinos in Japan warmly welcomed Vice President Sara Duterte during an intimate meet-and-greet in Tokyo on Sunday, January 12, 2024. A heartfelt moment of unity and connection among the Filipino community abroad,” its caption read.
Some pro-Duterte Facebook pages showed the Vice President engaging with the Filipinos and taking selfies with them.
She was also seen in a video greeting in Bisaya her supporters who attended the meet.
“What a heartwarming moment to see how the Filipino community in Japan has such a bond with VP Inday!,” Facebook page Inday Sara Supremacy wrote.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed Duterte’s attendance in the Tokyo event.
The meet-and-greet happened after the Dec. 29, 2024 rally held by her supporters at the famed Shibuya crossing in Tokyo.
The rally called for her protection from political attacks. Vlogger and influencer Mocha Uson was also there as shown in a video posted in her Mocha Uson Blog Facebook page.
In the video posted by Uson, she was seen talking with Duterte’s supporters and taking selfies with them.
Several videos of the rally showed a small number of Filipinos walking along Tokyo’s street while chanting “Inday Sara Duterte” while holding placards with the words, “Protect VP Inday Sara.”
Duterte had a falling out with Marcos, her 2022 running-mate, and his allies, particularly First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
She was also recently in hot water after admitting to hire a contractor to kill the First Couple and Romualdez if she herself gets killed.
Duterte and her executives at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was still its secretary were subjected to congressional inquiries for alleged misuse of public funds, particularly the two offices’ confidential funds.