Waves of pro-Duterte mass protests erupted here and abroad following the dramatic arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
As of this writing, 61 pro-Duterte mass protests have been recorded across the country, with the Parada Dabawenyo and Solidarity Walk in Davao City—Duterte’s political stronghold—standing as the largest demonstration to date organized by his supporters.
Organizers claimed that about 100,000 supporters joined the Parada Dabawenyo and Solidarity Walk, which coincided with the 88th Araw ng Dabaw celebration.
Supporters of the former president also gathered in major cities, including Manila, Quezon City, Pasay, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, and General Santos, to decry what they described as an unjust arrest.
About 52 mass protests have been recorded across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, while nine demonstrations have taken place in seven foreign countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Finland, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, and the Netherlands, where Duterte is currently detained.
Protesters also gathered at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, carrying banners with messages such as “Bring PRRD Home” and “I Stand With FPRRD.”
The mass protests showed no signs of abating. Several pro-Duterte groups have already announced plans for sustained demonstrations in the coming weeks, with another large rally scheduled for March 28, coinciding with Duterte’s birthday.
Duterte, who served as the country’s president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested on an ICC warrant for human rights violations committed during his administration’s war on drugs on March 11.
He was immediately flown to The Hague, Netherlands, on the same day, making him the first Philippine head of state to be taken into international custody.
The arrest has triggered an intense national debate, with his supporters accusing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of betraying Duterte.
Duterte’s allies in the Philippine Congress have also spoken out against the arrest, with several senators and lawmakers calling on President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to intervene.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, a longtime aide and confidant of Duterte, condemned the government’s decision to comply with the ICC warrant, calling the arrest “an affront to the sovereignty of the Philippines.”
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who served as national police chief under Duterte, lashed out at President Marcos for cooperating with the International Police Organization (Interpol) to arrest the former president.
Despite the large-scale protests, the Philippine government stood by its decision, citing international obligations and the rule of law.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla defended the government’s move, stating that the country remains bound by international agreements despite Duterte’s previous withdrawal of the Philippines from the ICC in 2019.
