A day after thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) gathered at The Hague, Netherlands to show support to Rodrigo Duterte, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun denied claims that the former president sought asylum from China during his visit to Hong Kong before his arrest.

In a press briefing on Monday, Guo clarified that the Chinese government did not receive any asylum request from Duterte or his family.

He emphasized that Duterte’s trip to Hong Kong was purely private, stating, “Mr. Duterte’s visit to Hong Kong was a private vacation trip.”

Guo’s comments followed a local news report that alleged Duterte had requested asylum in China, which was reportedly denied.

Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 11 March upon his return from Hong Kong, where he attended a Kingdom of Jesus Christ event with overseas Filipino workers. Later that day, he was flown to The Hague to face charges of murder related to his anti-illegal drugs campaign between 1 November 2011, and 16 March 2019.

Guo further noted that the Hong Kong Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already addressed Duterte’s visit, and relevant officials from the Philippine side had made statements.

“We hope the media will be cautious about so-called ‘information from sources,’ which may be unfounded or ill-motivated, and avoid believing everything they hear,” he added.

Thousands protest at The Hague

Thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from across Europe gathered for a peaceful rally in The Hague on Sunday to protest the arrest and detention of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The demonstrators voiced outrage over what they viewed as an attack on Philippine sovereignty and called for his Duterte’s release.

The protests followed Duterte’s arrest two weeks ago on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the controversial war on drugs during his administration from 2016 to 2022.

Duterte is accused of overseeing extrajudicial killings and other abuses during his tenure. The International Criminal Court (ICC) had launched an investigation into the allegations, which led to the charges and his arrest.

Largest rally ever

His detention outside the country has sparked widespread protests by his supporters around the world, who believe his arrest is an attempt to undermine his legacy and political influence. The rally in The Hague was the largest demonstration for an accused before the ICC with participants holding up signs reading “Bring Him Home.”

“Today was a massive show of support, so overwhelming that even the locals couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Filipinos came united, proud, and full of heart,” wrote a Netherlands-based blogger, Alvin, whose Facebook account, Alvin & Tourism, has 265,000 followers.

Sara addresses crowd

Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president, attended the rally and shared her father’s desire to return to the Philippines.

“What can we do? What we can do is demand that they bring President Duterte back to the Philippines,” the Vice President said in Filipino, her speech interrupted several times by chants of “bring him home!”

“When I visit him, that’s one thing he keeps saying repeatedly. He would ask, ‘When can I be released from here? The elections are coming, and I still want to run for mayor of Davao City,’” she said.

Wearing green, the color of the growing pro-Duterte movement, the Vice President expressed concern about the potential risks of her father’s return, saying he might suffer the same fate as the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr., an opposition leader who was assassinated upon his return from exile in 1983.

“I told him, ‘Dad, your desire to go home may also be the end of your life.’ And he replied, ‘If that’s my fate, then so be it. As long as I can return to the Philippines,’” she said.

Ms. Duterte appealed to supporters: “Let us not stop calling on our government in the Philippines, and on all governments that are listening, and here at the ICC, to let them know that what was done to President Duterte was wrong. And how can this be corrected? Just bring him back to the Philippines. Continue the case, no problem, just bring him back.”

Security around ICC tightened

Dutch authorities have tightened security around the ICC in The Hague, limiting access for supporters of former President Duterte.

Senator Robin Padilla, who is currently in The Hague, confirmed the new restrictions and urged fellow Filipinos to remain calm and understand the measures being implemented.

In a Facebook Live session on Sunday, Padilla explained that due to the growing number of Filipinos gathering near the ICC, Dutch police have restricted access and designated specific areas for demonstrators. He noted that while the supporters were previously able to move around freely, they are now required to stay within a set perimeter.

“We have to understand this,” Padilla said. “This is a detention facility, and they have to strengthen security.”

Despite the limitations, he assured supporters the authorities were handling the situation with respect.

“The police here are very polite. They did not drive us away but calmly talked to us,” he said.

‘Rody at 80’ movement

Similar protests have been taking place in other parts of the world, including New York, London, Vancouver and Sydney. The rallies, organized primarily by OFWs, reflect widespread support for former president Duterte’s hardline approach to crime and drugs, which many of his supporters believe strengthened national security and public order.

On 28 March, in commemoration of Duterte’s 80th birthday, his supporters worldwide are organizing a global prayer movement called “Rody at 80.”

The initiative encourages participants to “turn the world green” as a symbol of solidarity with Duterte.