Prayers and candlelight for ‘Tatay Digong’ as supporters call for his return

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A group advocating for the release and return of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) announced on Thursday that nationwide prayer rallies and candlelight ceremonies will continue as part of an appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to allow him to celebrate his 80th birthday in the Philippines.

Benito Ranque, co-convenor of the Return Duterte Movement, told the Daily Tribune that these prayer rallies will persist until the former president is released and allowed to return to the country.

"We pray and appeal to the ICC to allow Filipinos to greet him on his birthday in his own country," Ranque said.

Thousands of pro-Duterte supporters have begun massive prayer rallies across the country and in other parts of the world, gathering in candlelight ceremonies and chanting, “Duterte, Ibalik!”

Ranque added that Filipinos in the Netherlands traveled to Rotterdam to express their support for Duterte, who was a strong advocate for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during his six-year presidency.

"Many OFWs, who are strong supporters of Duterte, lit candles, sang the Philippine National Anthem, and chanted, ‘Duterte Ibalik!’” he said.

The prayer rallies, he added, are seeking "divine intervention" regarding Duterte’s fate after his arrest and transfer to The Hague, Netherlands, to face charges of alleged crimes against humanity.

"No amount of indignation, rallies, or protests can change Tatay Digong’s fate. Only divine intervention can shift the course of the country's political landscape," Ranque said.

He also noted that the silence of former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Duterte’s arrest suggests that the former Philippine leader will have to face his legal battle alone before an international tribunal.

Pro-Duterte supporters have also staged prayer rallies in front of the Philippine Embassy in New York, as well as in the Middle East, Canada, and Europe.

Meanwhile, Manny Lumanao, PDP-Laban regional president for Caraga, told the Daily Tribune that a series of prayer rallies have taken place in multiple cities, including Butuan, Bislig, Tandag, Davao, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, and Marawi, as well as Cebu and Iloilo in the Visayas.

"At dusk, people began coming out and gathering in public places to join spontaneous peace rallies," Lumanao said.