Duterte sympathizers stage prayer rally in Iligan City
Hundreds of Iliganons hold a prayer rally in front of Iligan City Postal Office on Tuesday to denounce the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. —Photo courtesy of Elnathan Brant Ermac
ILIGAN CITY, LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — Hundreds of supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte gathered and staged an instant protest rally along Roxas and Quezon Avenues in this city at past 5 p.m. on Tuesday in reaction to his arrest.
The residents came and lit candles with signs that read “We stand with Tatay Digong” and “We pray for FPRRD.”
The protesters burned the image of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a gesture of outrage and protest.
READ: PNP on ‘heightened alert’ after Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest
Former Iligan City Mayor Franklin Quijano and lawyer Manuel Salibay urged Iliganons to fight to strengthen democracy and sustain the call to have the former leader released.
Police personnel were deployed to secure the rally site, which is near the national highway, and ensure the unhampered flow of vehicular traffic.
Duterte was charged with crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court owing to thousands of deaths from his administration’s war on drugs.
Duterte is scheduled to be flown to The Hague in the Netherlands aboard a chartered flight.
