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'I stand with Duterte' event over 250 supporters of the former president attended the rally. Photo: Supplied
A rally and road-waving event last Friday in Saipan appealed to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the safe return of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippines.
Organisers Marie Zayko and Roderick Lopez, who were behind the 'I stand with Duterte' event, said over 250 supporters of the former president attended the rally and road-waving, which also doubled as a celebration of the 17th Philippine president's birthday.
"This is in support for Duterte (also known as Tatay Digong) who right now is in the Netherlands because of Bong Bong Marcos (Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr)," Zayko said.
Lopez thanked everyone who attended the rally and road-waving and also promised this certainly would not be the last.
"To our friends here supporting President Duterte, we just keep praying so that we can bring him home to the Philippines and to the [Marcos] administration, please do the right thing for the people of the Philippines."
Zayco also doubled down on her request to bring Duterte home and also appealed to the ICC in The Hague to release him.
"I hope Bong Bong Marcos and the [Philippine] government will realise what they did to Duterte because it is really terrible. [My] message to ICC: Duterte is a good president. Please, he helped a lot of people. So much people that he helped, please release him," she said.
Lopez claims the ICC is breaking the law by arresting Duterte.
Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte's decision was a consequence of US legislative and executive actions, a spokesperson said. Photo: AFP
"I think it is illegal detention because the Philippines is not under ICC already since 2019."
Last March, Duterte was arrested by the Philippine National Police and Interpol in Operation Pursuit under an ICC warrant charging him with crimes against humanity related to the Philippine drug war.
Duterte supporters Joven Merin and Jerry Soriano said Duterte means so much to the Filipino people.
"I want to thank to President Rodrigo Duterte because I supported him when [I was a] former volunteer in the Tukhang," Merin said.
"Tukang means someone who surrendered, you need to deliver the word of God so that the addict becomes a good guy. That's the one that President Duterte told us to do in Las Pinas."
Soriano, meanwhile, appealed to ICC to send him to release him to return to the Philippines.
The rally and road-waving started around 5pm with Duterte supporters slowly trickling in wearing white and green T-shirts specially made for the occasion.
Romeo Malasarte, another Duterte supporter, said Duterte's arrest and subsequent detention by the ICC is not just a political issue.
"The arrest of a former President based on an ICC warrant - carried out by our own police - is a blatant disregard for our national sovereignty.
"You may not agree with everything Duterte did, but if a Filipino leader can be handed over to a foreign court just like that, who's next? This is no longer about being pro or anti-Duterte-this is about standing up for the dignity of every Filipino," he said.
Organisers of the rally say the ICC is breaking the law by arresting Duterte. Photo: Supplied
However, Duterte critics on Saipan said the ICC had every right to arrest him due to the crimes against humanity he committed against the Filipino people.
Allegations stem from his time as Davao City mayor where extrajudicial killings were rampant and the brutal nationwide "war on drugs" he is suspected of flaming after he became president in 2016.
"Everything is legal. Those who will oppose will say it's illegal. His supporters are now asking for due process, something victims of his 'war on drugs' weren't give. They were just killed on the spot. We need justice for all the victims of extrajudicial killings during Duterte's time in office," Joselito Espino said.
And his message to Duterte's supporters-wake up and stop idolising the former president.
Meanwhile, Darwin Gonzales said Duterte's arrest was a long time coming and due process was observed as ICC had all the time needed based on the intelligence of all government agencies involved.
"ICC through the Interpol did it in a most lawful process as possible given that the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC."
"They just did the right thing," he said.
At the end of the day, Gonzales said at least Duterte will be given the right to defend himself in a court of law.
"Either guilty or not guilty, as long as the right process will be implemented, I am okay with it."
