By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte lambasted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his administration, accusing them of political persecution and unjust leadership, during the public gathering for the 80th birthday of former President Rodrigo Duterte on March 28.
Addressing the massive crowd at “Rody at 80: Global Filipino Solidarity–as One Davao,” Mayor Duterte, expressing disappointment over what he perceived as a deliberate effort to weaken the city, questioned Marcos for allegedly making life difficult for Davao City for their political gains.
“What I do not understand about the president is, why would you make a city suffer just for your political gain to have your candidate win in the 2028 election? What kind of person are you?” the mayor said in a local dialect, followed by a cheer from the 330,000 estimated crowd on Friday.
The Map Checking, a crowd-estimation tool, reported that the 330,000 attendees did not include those traveling along various roads en route to the venue. Several local and national candidates for this year’s election also joined Davaoeños in honoring the former Chief Executive.
Mayor Duterte expressed disbelief about the government that seems to be resisting the fight against illegal drugs. The crowd criticized Marcos, including Criminal Investigation and Detection Group acting director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, chanted slogans against them.
“He knows it. It is his doing,” he said, emphasizing that this is the first time the government gets angry when drugs are opposed. Mayor Duterte also acknowledged the emotional toll his father’s arrest has taken on him.
Using a chess analogy, he alleged that the national government had been outmaneuvered in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) controversy, leading them to take desperate measures, including Rody Duterte’s detention.
Former President Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11 upon his return from Hong Kong and later transferred to The Hague, Netherlands, based on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity.
“Now that they are losing, they scrambled the pieces, took (expletive) hostage, and flipped the board so no one here can win,” the mayor said, adding that Marcos fears his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, could defeat them in the 2028 presidential election.
Mayor Duterte argued that Marcos would not have won in the 2022 election without the backing of the people from Davao. Apart from the Dutertes, people believed Marcos attempted to extend his term beyond 2028.
However, the 1987 Constitution limits the president and vice president to one six-year term. The constitution emphasized that the president shall not be eligible for re-election and that no vice-president shall serve for more than two successive terms.
The mayor further accused Marcos of being insecure: “When it comes to political brilliance and good governance, no one is a greater master than his father, President Duterte or Tatay Digong. That’s why Marcos is insecure and keeps attacking us for a reason.”
“It’s not easy having a father imprisoned for doing nothing but for the betterment of the country. I do not think he was ever really gone from us. He is always in our hearts,” Mayor Duterte said as he spoke about his father’s leadership in Davao City and how his legacy should be upheld.
Mayor Duterte, grateful for all the love and support from the crowd for the elder Duterte, urged everyone to continue standing by his father, emphasizing unity and resilience. He added that the Filipino people have the right to speak up.
“To keep the legacy he left behind alive, let us just follow what he always said—we Davaoeños are disciplined, kind, and stand up for what is right and just,” Mayor Duterte said as he vowed to continue the fight for Duterte’s legacy.
“As long as you are here, we will never stop,” he said, assuring supporters that they would not back down and would continue to fight for what is right and what is just for the people of Davao City and the Filipino people in general.
The gathering here was one of the largest in support of the former president. Mayor Duterte’s speech highlighted the growing tensions between the Duterte and Marcos camps, with political battles expected to continue in the lead-up to future elections.
Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II, grandson and namesake of the elder Duterte and second son of Rep. Paolo Duterte, rallied the supporters by declaring, “We will fight them back!” He asked the public not to stop until his grandfather Duterte was brought home.
“I have only one request: let us not stop until Rodrigo Roa Duterte is brought home. I just want my grandfather to come home. He is a simple man and would be happy to just rest under his mosquito net,” Rigo said in a local dialect.
His brother, Omar Vincent Duterte, eldest son of Rep. Duterte, delivered a brief message asking Davaoeños to pray for his grandfather’s release. He also recalled his time with his grandfather, who inspired him to become who he is now.
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban) members and national candidates Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, and Philip Salvador also shared their respective messages and greeted former President Duterte on his birthday.
Maranao Tribe deputy mayor Randy Usman, meanwhile, called on the Filipino people, including the Bangsamoro, to unite, take a stand, and remove the incumbent president and his allies from their posts, emphasizing their dissatisfaction with the government at the moment.
Usman recalled one of the former Chief Executive’s legacies for the Moros. He said Duterte was the only leader who fought for the Moros and treated all the Muslims, Christians, and Indigenous Peoples fairly.
“I am calling all Filipinos, including the Bangsamoro people — this is our time. This is not about repaying a debt of gratitude. President Duterte gave us something that benefits all Moros. Let us unite and take a stand, and remove them (Marcos and allies) from their posts,” Usman said.
Former President Duterte, a family patriarch, served as Davao City mayor for 22 years and four months across seven terms. He held the position from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010, and 2013 to 2016 before becoming President from 2016 to 2022.
In 1986, he was appointed OIC vice mayor, replacing his mother, Soledad, who recommended him for the role. When term limits prevented him from running for mayor in 1998, he successfully ran for first district representative.
Again term-limited in 2010, he was elected vice mayor while his daughter, Sara Duterte, served as mayor. Now, the elder Duterte is running for mayor against Karlo Nograles in the upcoming May 12 elections, with his son, Sebastian Duterte, as his running mate.
Mayor Duterte, along with his nephews, expressed their profound gratitude to all the supporters of FPRRD. He said he is lucky to be his son. He believed that the elder Duterte must have done great things to have such massive support from the Filipino people.
The event concluded around 11 p.m. as the crowd lit their candles and phones, sang songs, and wished Rody Duterte a Happy Birthday, followed by the mesmerizing drone show — one of the highlights of the event in honor of former President Duterte’s 80th birth anniversary.
Similar gatherings took place nationwide and in other international areas, with participation from supporters in Mindanao, including cities such as Cotabato, Tagum, Iligan, Valencia, Kidapawan, and Ipil.
