Rodrigo Duterte in custody: Former president’s ally, netizens react

Former president Rodrigo Duterte (PNA file photo)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte is now under police custody, which has triggered an outpouring of reactions from Cebu officials and netizens.

Senator Bong Go confirmed Duterte’s detention to reporters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, March 11.

PDP gubernatorial candidate Pamela Baricuatro was among the first to react, posting on Facebook, “Pilipinas, please pray and protect, tatay Digong!”

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, Baricuatro expressed distress over the situation.

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“We are in tears and shock, like most of Duterte’s supporters. For now, there is nothing we can do but pray. We are going to meet soon. That’s the only statement for now because we still don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said.

The former president Duterte is the chairman of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino or PDP.

Meanwhile, former Cebu City mayor and PDP political aspirant Michael Rama has yet to issue a statement regarding Duterte’s detention.

Online, Cebuano netizens were divided on their reactions. Some decried the arrest, calling it politically motivated, while others criticized Duterte’s legacy.

One user, May Flower De Mayo, lamented, “Samuka na bya sa Pinas. E prio unta ang paglambo sa ekonomiya woi.”

Another, Raciram V. Rotac, expressed frustration over political infighting: “Ka samok sa Pinas ui, unaha lang ninyu political interest kaysa ekonomiya sa Pinas. Malooy mo sa mga ordinaryong tawo ui.”

Others were more critical. Vallecera Avila Vincent accused President Bongbong Marcos of betrayal, saying, “Kami sauna gena suporta nimo ug todo pero nisalikway me nimo tungod sa imong pagka way ayo pagka presidente!”

Another user, Mashood ZK, called the arrest an affront to Philippine sovereignty: “This government is slapping our Supreme Court in the face!”

Duterte’s arrest comes amid ongoing scrutiny over his administration’s controversial war on drugs. As the chief architect of the bloody anti-drug campaign, Duterte oversaw thousands of deaths linked to police operations and vigilante killings.

According to official government data, at least 6,000 individuals were killed under his presidency’s war on drugs. However, human rights watchdogs and the International Criminal Court estimate the death toll to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019 alone, citing extrajudicial executions.