Stay strong.
This was Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s advise to former president Rodrigo Duterte who is currently detained at The Hague, Netherlands.
Duterte will celebrate his 80th birthday on March 28, 2025.
The reelectionist senator made this assurance as he urged the former leader to remain hopeful even though he will celebrate his 80th birthday as a detainee in a foreign land.
“Ang masasabi ko lang sa kanya ay itong lahat ng mga pagsubok na ito ngayon ay malalampasan natin ito. Malalampasan ito. Walang permanent sa mundong ibabaw (All I can say to him is that we will be able to overcome all these problems. We will overcome. Nothing is permanent in this world),” Dela Rosa said.
“Everything is temporary. So magpakatatag lang tayo, laban lang, at huwag mag-surrender (So let’s just stay strong and fight and not surrender),” he said.
Dela Rosa reminded Duterte of the people’s support for him. Even Filipinos in other parts of Europe have made an effort to express their love for the former president in Netherlands, he noted.
“Huwag siyang sumuko sa laban. Laban lang (He should not surrender the fight. Just fight) because… the majority of the Filipino people, even those who are outside of the Philippines, other parts of the universe ay nandoon at nakikiramay sa kanya at gustong-gustong maibalik siya dito sa Pilipinas,” he stated.
Dela Rosa, a long time ally of the former president, is chief implementer of the Duterte’s controversial “Oplan Tokhang” as then the Philippine National Police (PNP).