Loud cheers and chants roared as supporters of presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, marched on the streets near the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu campus, where the second leg of PiliPinas presidential debate will be held.
More than one thousand Duterte supporters joined the march past 4 p.m. along Gorordo Avenue in Cebu City while chanting “Duterte” and “Wala mi’y bayad (We are not paid).”
Most of the marchers knocked on the windows of passing vehicles as they screamed out the name of Duterte.
Some motorists opened their windows and raised their hands in support but others just honked their horns or ignored the mayor’s supporters.
Some of Duterte’s supporters heckled passing vehicles that bear the stickers of another presidential candidate, Senator Grace Poe.
Their shouts of “Duterte, daog na” (Duterte is already the winner) got louder as the vehicle of Cebu City Michael Rama, a supporter of Vice President Jejomar Binay, passed by.
The group was however halted by the police before they could get near the UP Cebu campus as they had no pass to proceed to the debate venue.
Without any pass, they planned to stay along Gorordo Avenue until the end of the debate, which is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Philip Engbino, who heads the Duterte campaign volunteers in Cebu’s southern town of Minglanilla, said they were initially set to proceed to Cebu Coliseum, where the Duterte camp was set to hold a free concert starting at 4 p.m., but they decided to march instead to the debate venue to show support to their candidate.