Smaller crowd attends “VP Sara Coalition” launch in Davao City

Supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte launch the VP Sara Coalition on Saturday, 22 February 2025, in Davao City. MindaNews photo by IAN CARL ESPINOSA

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 February) – A smaller crowd attended Saturday’s Protect VP Sara Movement’s launch of the “VP Sara Coalition” at the Roxas Freedom Park here, the same spot where the group held an indignation rally two weeks ago against the impeachment case filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Organizers invited Duterte supporters Davao City Third District Rep. Isidro Ungab and lawyer Israelito Torreon, lead counsel of  detained pastor Apollo Quiboloy, but they did not show up.

Boy dela Cruz, one of Protect VP Sara Movement’s lead convenors, said that around 1,000 individuals from 79 groups attended the launching of the VP Sara Coalition, a group formed to support Duterte and go against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “silent martial law.”

Last February 9, the Protect VP Sara Movement also organized an indignation rally against the impeachment case filed against Duterte. Organizers said then that some 2,000 supporters attended the event.

“We are ‘all over the Philippines’ that’s why we’re fewer now [in Davao City],” dela Cruz told the media in Cebuano Saturday evening.

He said the coalition is made up of groups “representing senior citizens, youth, retired police personnel, indigenous people, and Moros, among others.”

“Hangyo namo, unta siya [Marcos Jr.] moingon, magpeaceful exit na lang ko, kaysa magpeople power nga lain kaayo paminawon, kay kana nakapahawa sa iyang amahan (Our appeal is for Marcos to exit peacefully instead of being removed through people power, which ousted his father),” Randy Usman, also one of the convenors, said during his speech.

The Duterte supporters shouted “truth, freedom, and justice” during Saturday’s gathering.

“Dili ni binayaran o hinakot (We were not paid nor hauled to come here),” another group convenor, Tristan Digan, exclaimed in front of the audience.

The group organized a motorcade from the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Obrero to the Roxas Freedom Park along Roxas Avenue here at around 4 p.m, arriving at the venue 45 minutes later.

They started the event with prayers followed by speeches, ending with a chant of “Protect VP Sara Duterte. The rally ended at 7:46 pm, or after roughly three hours.

Davao City Police Office spokesperson Capt. Hazel Caballero Tuazon placed the crowd estimate at 200 people.

Last February 9, the same group staged a rally pushing for a “zero vote” for the 240 members of the House of Representatives who endorsed the Articles of Impeachment to remove Duterte from office. 

In turn, Duterte asked the Supreme Court to block her impeachment trial.

A total of 240 representatives have signed the fourth impeachment complaint, up by 25 after the complaint signed by 215 representatives was transmitted to the Senate last February 5.

In a press statement, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said the Senate has not convened as an impeachment court “so it will be up to them on what to do with these 25 members of the House of Representatives who have sent to us their verification.” (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)