DAVAO CITY – Emotions surged among Davaoeños at Rizal Park on Tuesday night, March 11, as they watched the live broadcast of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte boarding a private aircraft off to The Hague, Netherlands.

DUTERTE

Thousands of Duterte supporters flocked to Rizal Park in the afternoon for a candle-lighting and prayer following the news that he was held at the Villamor Airbase, Pasay City.

Supporters held a prayer rally until Tuesday evening.

Supporters of the former Chief Executive in other parts of Mindanao also gathered on Tuesday night and held rallies, including Tagum City, Cotabato City, Iligan City, Valencia City in Bukidnon, and Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay, to show their support.

Committee on Education, Culture and Arts, and Science and Technology Chairman Councilor Pilar Braga, in an emotional privilege speech at Tuesday's regular session, recalled how Duterte has stood for the people of Davao and the Philippines.

Braga said when the former Chief Executive saw a country in disarray, his beloved Philippines on the brink of becoming a narco-state, he decided to take a stand and made the difficult choice at a time when nobody would clean up the mess caused by years of corruption and neglect.

“He knew this day would come, but he did it because loving one's countrymen above self, above family, was his destiny. He stood for us again and again. Now is the time for us to stand for him. Let us protect FPRRD. Let us protect him at all costs,” Braga said.

Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL) party highlighted that the lack of due process, coupled with the country's non-membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC), raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of these proceedings.

“The recent arrest of former President Duterte is a grave miscarriage of justice. The action reeks of political persecution, a blatant attempt by the BBM administration to deflect attention from the far more critical issues facing our nation,” it said.

Hugpong reminded the public that what the government should be addressing is the scandalous misuse of public funds, rampant corruption within the government, and the devastating poverty experienced by millions of Filipino people.

They said the administration's move deliberately tried to hide the truth and silence the critics. It added that Filipinos suffer from poor leadership and corruption, facing economic struggles and social inequality.

“This isn’t just a political argument — it’s an attack on the core of our democracy,” Hugpong said, encouraging the Filipino people to unite against such injustices from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration.

“We must demand accountability from our leaders, transparency in government operations, and an end to the political maneuvering that diverts attention from the urgent need to address poverty and corruption."

Hugpong said they believe the time for silence is already over, and the time for action is now. It added that the Filipino people must unite and fight for their country until justice prevails and the welfare of its citizens is the highest priority.

Dabawenyo content creator and comedian Bogart the Explorer expressed his concern on social media, questioning a foreign entity's involvement in handling a Filipino's case. He said he stands with Philippine sovereignty.

“If the crime was committed against the Filipino people, let the Filipino people seek justice. Why are we allowing foreigners to decide the fate of one of our own? I stand with Philippine sovereignty,” Bogart said.

Renniel James Almazan, a blogger, said he stands with Duterte. He added that he believed the man only played an “evil role” so everyone could walk peacefully. He also encouraged everyone to respect each other’s political point-of-view.