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Hundreds of Duterte supporters gather in Quezon City

By RIE TAKUMI, GMA News

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Hundreds of President Rodrigo Duterte's supporters gathered under the blistering heat to participate in a rally arranged by his supporters at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Saturday.

Among the leaders who spoke at the program organized by Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and MRRD NECC (Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Committee) was DDS-Metro Manila (Digong Duterte Supporters-Metro Manila) Chairman Suhaili Abangon.

The chairman and founder of DDS-Metro Manila recounted his experience of beginning the campaign for Duterte's presidency around Metro Manila as early as 2015.

Abangon also called on Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV to turn a new leaf and support Duterte's anti-drug campaign.

"De Lima at Trillanes, noon pa hinahadlangan mo ang aming mahal na pangulo. Hanggang ngayon, binabatikos niyo ang aming mahal na pangulo," he said.

"Alam niyo ang kaniyang pinaglalaban ay para sa ating bansa. Kaya dapat po tayong makiisa, suportahan po natin ang mahal na pangulo dahil ang kanyang pinaglalaban ay para sa ating kinabukasan, para sa kinabukasan ng ating mga anak, at lalo na ang ating bansang Pilipinas," Abangon continued.

The program themed "People's Call for Patriotism," was oriented around the idea of patriotism.

Most of the speeches praised Duterte's anti-drug, criminality, and corruption drive and defended the president from criticism.

Department Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Emily Padilla led a pledge testifying to their faith in Duterte, an hour before the program ended.

The pledge stated that Duterte is the only leader capable of solving problems plaguing the Philippines and promised devotion to his anti-drug and criminality program.

"Sa harap ng iba't-ibang pagsubok, nananatiling buo ang aking tiwala sa ipinangakong pagbabago ng ating mahal na pangulo," Padilla read.

This sentiment was reflected in speeches made by DILG Undersecretary Jesus Hinlo and TESDA chief Guiling Mamondiong, who believes Duterte is the Philippines' only hope.

The crowd remained mainly under tents and under the shade of trees due to extreme heat, which caused an elderly man to collapse midway through the program.

Food and water were distributed to supporters who received stubs at the beginning of the program an hour before its conclusion.

Over 700,000 alleged drug dependents have turned themselves in since Duterte took office while more than 1,000 drug suspects have been killed since July 1.

Despite the staggering number in the war on drugs, Duterte has asked the public to give him at least six more months to fight drugs and criminality in the country.

The Duterte administration's war on drugs and the vigilante-style killings of drug personalities "outside police operations" have drawn criticism locally and internationally. —ALG, GMA News

Tags: rodrigoduterte, warondrugs, dutertesupporters, digongdutertesupporters
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