THE Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) reported that around 320,000 people gathered in Davao City for a prayer rally commemorating the 80th birthday of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
PSSO head Angel Sumagaysay shared the estimate during the ISpeak media forum on April 3, 2025, held at the City Mayor’s Office. He said the figure was based on crowd density calculations and footage from drones and CCTV cameras, which showed major roads filled with attendees.
In preparation for the event, Sumagaysay coordinated with the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) to estimate the capacity of key roads that would be occupied. The main rally stretched across several major streets, from C.M. Recto Street to Roxas Avenue, Roxas Avenue to Quezon Boulevard, and J.P. Laurel to Sta. Ana Avenue, and Jacinto Street to Ponciano Rotonda.
He said that from CM Recto to Roxas Avenue, which spans 910 meters, they estimated four individuals per square meter, resulting in a crowd projection of 65,000 people. Meanwhile, the stretch from Roxas Avenue to Quezon Boulevard, extending 800 meters toward Magsaysay, could accommodate approximately 102,400 people, excluding those on sidewalks.
Additionally, the 500-meter stretch from J.P. Laurel to Sta. Ana Avenue was estimated to hold around 32,000 attendees, while the 14-meter section from Jacinto Street to Ponciano Rotonda could fit about 5,600 people. Based on these computations, their office estimated a total crowd size of approximately 205,000 people, excluding those occupying sidewalks, unexpected spaces, and participants in the unity ride from Coastal Road to Roxas Avenue.
The unity ride, Sumagaysay added, stretched as far as Felcris Centrale on Quimpo Boulevard, with riders still attempting to join the main event. However, with the streets already packed, PSSO advised them to turn back.
“Mga footages napuno siya, so in short kato siya ang amoang estimate 320,00 plus, more or less, drone and CCTV footages, plus the computation of CTTMO particularly their engineering division (Drone and CCTV footages showed roads were full, confirming our estimate of around 320,000 attendees. This was also verified through calculations by CTTMO’s engineering division),” he said.
Meanwhile, a SunStar Davao report cited data from MapChecking, a crowd-counting tool used by fact-checkers, which estimated 330,000 attendees as of 8:40 p.m. on March 28, 2025. This figure did not include supporters gathered along Coastal Road, San Pedro Street, Quirino Avenue, and Quimpo Boulevard.
In contrast, the Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao) estimated only 60,000 attendees at the rally in Davao City. PRO-Davao spokesperson PMaj Catherine Dela Rey further stated that across various provinces in the region, around 96,100 individuals participated in similar rallies. Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo reported that the total attendance across over 200 rallies nationwide was just 60,000.
When asked about the discrepancies, Sumagaysay stood firm on the PSSO’s assessment. He reaffirmed their crowd estimate of approximately 320,000, stating that they stand by their assessment. When asked about possible data manipulation, he declined to comment.
“So be it kung mao nang ilaha gina respeto natu na basta ang samoa pod, kauban naku ang atoang uban agencies nakapag come-up me anang figure (So be it if that's their data, we respect that. As for us, together with other agencies, we were able to come up with that figure), "Sumagysay said in an interview with the media on the sidelines.
He underscored that crowd control was a priority to prevent incidents similar to the 2022 Itaewon stampede in Seoul, South Korea, which claimed 149 lives.
PSSO worked closely with CTTMO to monitor crowd movements and ensure entry points were properly managed.
The prayer rallies were held nationwide in support of Duterte, who is facing trial in The Hague, Netherlands, for alleged crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC). RGP