If former President Rodrigo Duterte will have his way, he would love to return to Davao City soon. His daughter Vice President Sara Duterte fears he might follow the fate of the slain senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
Speaking before the mammoth crowd at The Hague, Netherlands on Sunday, the vice president said she told her father that he might end up like the late Aquino Jr. if he keeps on insisting to return to the Philippines. The opposition leader was shot dead upon his return to the country 41 years ago after a self-imposed exile. His death led to protests which eventually gave rise to the infamous EDSA People Power in 1986 that booted out President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., father of sitting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Isa sa mga paulit ulit niyang sinasabi pag nandoon ako “kailan mo ako mapalabas dito dahil darating ang election magmayor pa ako ng syudad ng Davao. Gusto niyang umuwi. Sinabi ko din sa kanya “pa, yung kagustuhan mo na umuwi, yan din yang katapusan ng buhay mo, magiging Ninoy Aquino Jr. ka. At sinabi niya sa akin kung ganyan ang kapalaran ko, then so be it. Basta lang mauwi ako sa Pilipinas,” the vice president said in her message during her meet and greet with the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and the Duterte supporters coinciding with a prayer rally for the former president at the Het Malieveld Park in The Hague, Netherlands.
The vice president also bared that the former president was okay and aside from his constant request for Coke Zero, according to her, FPRRD also expressed concern for the upcoming 2025 May polls.
“Okay naman siya, nagtatanong lang siya sa mga timeline kasi nga malapit na yung election at tinatanong niya kung ano ang nangyari sa kampanya ng mga senador at tinanong niya kung papaano siya makakabalik dahil nga meron din siyang election sa Davao City. Yan ang napag-usapan ang kampanya at election sa ating bayan. Nag-express din siya ng apprehensions niya baka may mangyaring ‘dagdag-bawas’ sa election,” she said.
Vice President Duterte mentioned that the former president reminded her not to let her siblings Davao City First District Paolo Duterte and Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte go to The Hague until they are elected as congressman and vice mayor, respectively.
“Pag nagkausap kami sa loob lagi niyang tinatanong sa akin kung kailan daw ako uuwi ng Pilipinas. Ang date ka uuwi? Anong ginagawa mo dito? Bakit hindi ka pa umuwi? Sabi ko sa kanya inaayos ko lang yung sistema dito at pagkatapos hinihinaty ko yung mga kapatid ko na pumunta dito. Sabi niya sabihan mo si Paolo na okay lang ako at huwag siyang pumunta dito hanggang hindi matapos ang eleksyon at maging congressman siya ng First District ng Davao City. At sabi niya sabihin mo kay Baste hindi siya puwedeng pumunta dito hanggang hindi matapos at ma-elect siyang vice mayor ng Davao City,” she said.
The vice president also shared that the former president told her not to let his youngest child, Veronica, visit him until she becomes a lawyer.
“Ang sinabi niya kay Veronica, sabihin mo kay Kitty hindi siya puwedeng bumisita dito hanggang hindi siya abogado. Sabi ni KItty grabe ang overacting ni papa so ibig sabihin pa, mga 5 years until she becomes a lawyer, na meron pa akong limang taon bago ako makabisita. Kahit andoon siya sa loob, ang iniisip niya kailangan yung mga kapatid ko magtrabaho para sa syudad ng Davao, yung kapatid ko na kailangan mag-aral. Yun pa rin ang iniisip niya,” she said.
