‘Bring him home’ resonates in Davao’s Araw ng Kagitingan rites

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 9 Apr) — Even in the city’s celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan, chants of “Bring him home” can be heard, referring to former President Rodrigo Duterte, now detained in The Hague, the Netherlands for alleged crimes against humanity.

Former Davao City Police Office chief Isidro Lapeña during the Araw ng Kagitingan celebration on Wednesday (9 April 2025). MindaNews photo by IAN CARL ESPINOSA

Leading the chants of “Bring him home” and “Mabuhay si Tatay Digong” at the Veterans Memorial Monument along Roxas Ave. here was former Davao City Police Office chief and former Bureau of Customs chief Isidro Lapeña, who was the guest of honor, in front of a crowd comprising policemen, city officials, government officials, and other civic organizations.

But only a few of the over a hundred or so participants clapped and followed through with him, mostly families of war veterans.

This year’s theme for the celebration is “Pagpaparangal sa Kagitingan ng mga Beterano: Saligan para sa Nagkakaisang Pilipino.” Several post-war veterans and representatives from China, Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia consulates attended the event.

Lapeña drew parallels between the heroism of the defenders of Bataan and the current plight of the former president, who was recently arrested on alleged crimes of humanity charges.

Lapeña said that with 83 years since the fall of Bataan, the Philippines now faces a new kind of enemy—“one without uniforms or tanks.”

He cited corruption, social injustice, disinformation, and institutional decay as modern threats, just “as dangerous as foreign invaders.”

“Regardless where we stand politically or what our individual beliefs may be. This moment has undeniably sent ripples across the nation. It has sparked deep reflection, concern, and even outrage among many Filipinos,” Lapeña stressed in his speech.

He called on the government to “correct the injustice” and restore the integrity of the nation’s legal and political systems.

The address ended with rousing chants of “Mabuhay si Tatay Digong!” and “Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!” as the crowd echoed Lapeña’s final words: “We are not Filipinos for nothing.”

Such chants have been the bread and butter for messages dominating pro-Duterte rallies, such as those during the patriarch’s birthday on March 28, and last Sunday’s launch of the Green Rise Action, which seeks to mount a weekly protest pressing the national government and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to let Duterte go home. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)