Wish Duterte a happy birthday on March 28, Palace tells public
The initial appearance of suspect Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the International Criminal Court. SCREENGRAB FROM ICC
MANILA, Philippines — A Palace official told the public to wish arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte a happy birthday on Friday as he should be joyful on his special day.
At a briefing on Tuesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro was asked whether President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has a message for Duterte for his 80th birthday on March 28.
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“Ako po may mensahe: Kantahan natin ng ‘Happy Birthday.’ ‘Yun lang po,” Castro said, noting Marcos has no message yet for Duterte.
(I have a message: Let’s sing ‘Happy Birthday.’ That’s all.)
“Kasi birthday po ‘yun eh, kailangan po maging maligaya ang taong nagbi-birthday at wini-wish po natin siya nang happy birthday,” she added.
(Because it’s a birthday, the person celebrating should be joyful, and we wish them a happy birthday.)
Duterte is currently detained in a facility in The Hague in The Netherlands. He is facing a case at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his administration’s drug war.
The drug war claimed at least 6,000 lives, according to official government data.
However, human rights watchdogs estimated the death toll from the drug war to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.
