SUPPORTERS of former President Rodrigo Duterte have pledged to continue holding rallies in Cebu until he is allowed to return to the Philippines.
On Thursday night, March 13, 2025, an estimated crowd of 5,000 based on the report of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, gathered at Mandaue City Heritage Plaza for a prayer rally organized by Hakbang ng Maisug Cebu.
The event, titled “We Stand with PRRD,” was held for Duterte’s safety and well-being as he remains in International Criminal Court (ICC) custody in The Hague, Netherlands.
Attendees carried candles and banners calling for Duterte’s release. Many also lined up for free shirts bearing the slogan “I Stand with FPRRD.”
The rally featured prayers, speeches, and patriotic songs, with organizers vowing to sustain their protests in the coming weeks.
“We are definitely expecting more of this. Before, it took organized groups like us to mobilize supporters. Now, people are standing up on their own,” said Irene Ann Caballes, co-convenor of Hakbang ng Maisug Cebu.
Caballes credited Duterte for awakening a sense of courage and activism among Filipinos.
“This will not go away until we bring him back home,” she added.
Caballes urged Filipinos nationwide to resist what she called an oppressive government.
“Come out and show who truly holds power in the Philippines. We believe in the power of the people, not the people in power,” she said.
Hakbang ng Maisug Cebu has yet to announce a date and venue for their next rally.
Meanwhile, Consolacion mayoralty candidate Blesilda ‘Bingol’ Villo and her slate will hold a candlelight rally on March 15 at Sitio Libo, Barangay Tayud, Consolacion, continuing the wave of demonstrations.
Duterte was arrested on March 11, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila upon his return from Hong Kong.
The ICC issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity related to his controversial War on Drugs, which led to thousands of deaths during his presidency.
Following his arrest, he was swiftly transferred to The Hague, where he now faces legal proceedings.
The ICC’s case against Duterte stems from allegations that he sanctioned extrajudicial killings as part of his administration’s anti-narcotics campaign. / CAV