Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa encouraged ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, who is presently held at The Hague in the Netherlands, to stay resilient and continue battling as he approaches his 80th birthday on March 28, this coming Friday.
Dela Rosa, who is seeking another term and has been a long-time supporter of Duterte, mentioned that he plans to reach out to the ex-president on his birthday to convey his backing.
“Sa kanya lang po masasabi ko: Lahat ng mga hamon na ito ngayon, tatapusin natin yan. Tatapos talaga ito. Wala namang forever dito sa mundo. Lahat ng bagay ay pansamantalang lamang. Kaya siguro panatilihing matatag kami, patuloy ang pakikipagsapalaran, at huwag magsuko,” ani ang miyembro ng kapulis.
(I wish to convey to him that together we can surmount all these obstacles. We shall prevail over this situation. No circumstance on Earth lasts forever; everything is fleeting. Hence, let us remain resilient, continue our struggle, and never yield.)
“Huwag niyang ipinabaya ang pagsibak ng digmaan. Digmaan lamang dahil… ang malaking bahagi ng populasyon ng mga Pilipino, pati na rin yung iba na wala sa bansa o partikular sa ubanging bahaging ng buong universo ay naroon at kasama-samahan siya habang nanunuod para sana’y mapabalik niya ang sarili rito sa Pilipinas,” dagdag pa niya.
(Do not surrender in your struggle. Continue fighting as most Filipinos, including those residing abroad, empathize with him and wish for his return to the Philippines.)
The Filipino national police force, known as the PNP, has been
preparing
For the safety of the birthday rally for Duterte in Davao del Norte on Friday.
As per PDP Laban, they plan to organize gatherings and processions across different regions of the Philippines as well as in multiple international locations to mark President Duterte’s 80th birthday celebration.
On March 11, authorities helped the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) serve an arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Duterte related to his bloody anti-drug campaign, which has been labeled as crimes against humanity.
Following his detention, Duterte was taken to The Hague in the Netherlands.
On March 13 (in Philippine time), Duterte arrived at the Hague Penitentiary Institution, also known as the Scheveningen Prison, where he will remain detained pending his trial.
The scheduled date for the next hearing regarding the verification of the accusations is September 23, 2025.
—RF, GMA Integrated News
This article
Bato during Duterte’s 80th birthday: ‘Always ready’
was originally published in
GMA News Online
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