By Eloisa Lopez
DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of supporters of arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte flooded the streets of Davao City on his 80th birthday on Friday, calling for his return to the Philippines from International Criminal Court custody.
Duterte was taken by the ICC on March 11 after his arrest in the Philippine capital Manila on murder charges over his drugs crackdown that killed thousands of purported dealers and users.
Despite the festive atmosphere in the city where he was mayor for two decades, there were smaller rallies against him in Manila by groups who say many innocents died. One recent survey showed 51% of Filipinos think Duterte should face justice.
In Davao City, where he had been running for mayor again in a vote next month, many wore shirts with Duterte’s image and the words “Bring him home.”
“He should not have been treated that way. The way he was arrested was unjust,” said Meriam Ranain, 49. “I hope he can come home soon and that he is in good health.”
Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, is to face allegations of crimes against humanity for overseeing death squads. He would be the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC.
Duterte has been unapologetic defending his campaign and says he told police to kill only in self-defence. He is expected to ask for provisional release from ICC detention but the court rarely grants such demands.
Dozens of Duterte’s supporters also turned up outside his home in Davao, singing, dancing and blowing the candles on a birthday cake.
But in parts of Manila, dozens of activists and relatives of the dead also staged demonstrations demanding justice.
“Families of victims of the so-called war on drugs continue to grieve. There is not a celebration, but another fitting moment for remembrance and protest,” the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights said in a statement.
(Reporting by Eloisa Lopez in Davao City; Additional reporting by Jay Ereno and Peter Blaza in Manila; Writing by Karen Lema; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
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