Thousands turn Araw ng Dabaw parade into protest, call for Duterte’s return

18 hours ago 5

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SUPPORTING RODRIGO DUTERTE. At the 88th commemoration of the Araw ng Dabaw, residents in Davao City join the Parada Dabawenyo with posters and shirts indicating support for former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Araw ng Dabaw Facebook page

The demonstrators transform the annual parade into a show of force, chanting for the return of Rodrigo Duterte

What was supposed to be a festive celebration of Davao City’s 88th founding anniversary turned into a massive demonstration on Sunday, March 16, as thousands of supporters of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte used the Araw ng Dabaw parade to call for his release and return.

As many as 20,000 people joined the march as of noontime, according to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).

The demonstrators, carrying banners and placards, transformed the annual parade into a show of force, chanting for the return of the ex-president who served the city as mayor.

The protest, which included a prayer rally at the Rizal Park, near city hall, was a response to Duterte’s March 11 arrest and subsequent detention in The Hague, Netherlands, where he faces the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He is accused of being responsible for thousands of extrajudicial killings resulting from his bloody war on drugs.

The pro-Duterte parade shows the growing tensions and the extent of influence of the former president in his hometown, where he served as mayor, vice mayor, and congressman on separate occasions before being elected president in 2016. – Rappler.com