500,000 people joined ‘peaceful and orderly’ Duterte thanksgiving party

Police on Sunday said at least half a million people attended the thanksgiving party for President-elect Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City.

"As of 9:30 p.m., mayroon more or less 500,000 na katao," Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz told radio dzBB in an interview.

The police initially estimated the crowd at the party at nearly 200,000 by as early as 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Duterte, who won with more than 16 million votes and a six-million margin over his closest rival in the presidential race, arrived at the venue at past 8 p.m.

He immediately left the party venue after his usual impromptu speech.

Driz said in the interview that the party was "generally peaceful and orderly."

She said that the police was aided by other law enforcement groups in maintaining peace and order at the party venue at the Crocodila Park in Talomo district.

She said that a total of 45 cases of fainting and shortness of breath were recorded during the party and four of the patients were rushed to the hospital due to hypertension.

She said that majority of the patients were recorded in the afternoon because of intense heat.

Driz, meanwhile, said that they will be in full alert as long as the president-elect is in Davao City. —ALG, GMA News