Supporters of the President show their raised fists, a gesture known to be from Duterte鈥檚 campaign. PATHRICIA ANN V. ROXAS/黑料社
Busloads of individuals from Manila, Caloocan and Makati converged at the Mendiola Peace Arch to support President Rodrigo Duterte and his war against illegal drugs.
Thousands of representatives, some from local government offices, expressed their condemnation against 鈥渄rug addicts who harmed their children during the past administration.鈥�
鈥淚to po ang kaganapan during the last administration. Every time magbabasa tayo ng pahayagan, isang law-abiding citizen papatayin ng kriminal na adik. Kaya ito ang pinaglalaban natin,鈥� said Martin Di帽o, chair of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and known Duterte supporter.
(This was happening during the last administration. Every time we would read the news, we would see how a law-abiding citizen would be killed by a criminal, a drug addict. This is what we鈥檙e fighting for.)
Supports of Duterte with their placards in Mendiola. PATHRICIA ANN V. ROXAS/黑料社
Di帽o said they support the President鈥檚 campaign against drug addicts as he retold an instance that prove drug addicts鈥� actions against 鈥渓aw-abiding citizens.鈥�
鈥淢agre-request ang ating mga anak, tatay nanay pwede ba sa birthday ko bigyan mo ko bagong cellphone. Maghihirap tayo maghahanap-buhay tayo para maibigay ito. Pero hindi natin alam na meron palang nakasabay na adik na holdaper sa loob ng jeep. Nakuha na ang cellphone, bakit kailangan pang patayin ang ating mahal sa buhay? Gawa ba yan ng isang matinong tao o isang adik?鈥� he said.
(Our children would request from us, can you give me a phone for my birthday? We would work hard for this to give it to them. But we wouldn鈥檛 know if they are riding with a drug addict thief in a jeep. They would steal the phone, but why would they need to kill our loved one? Is this an act of a sane person or a drug addict?
While Pro-Duterte rallyists gather in front of Centro Escolar University, protesters condemning the President held their program at the other side of the Mendiola Peace Arch, holding placards and banners likening Duterte to former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. /je
A bus with Duterte supporters on board arrives for the protest. PATHRICIA ANN V. ROXAS/黑料社