On March 28, Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, the mayor of Davao City, publicly accused the current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of political persecution during a birthday gathering for former President Rodrigo Duterte, who turned 80. That evening, over 330,000 supporters gathered at San Pedro Square in Davao City, setting a new record for the scale of political rallies in the country.
On March 28, a drone captured the scene of people attending the 80th birthday commemoration event for former President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City.
Core Accusations and Crowd Reaction
The mayor questioned in the local dialect: "I don't understand why the President makes the whole city suffer just to make his candidate win in 2028? What kind of person are you?" The crowd immediately erupted with insults shouting "Marcos, addict!" He accused the current government of political deadlock over the 2025 budget dispute, thus resorting to "kidnapping" the former president as a desperate measure. Former President Duterte was arrested on March 11 after returning from Hong Kong and was subsequently extradited to The Hague, Netherlands, to face investigations for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.
Election Landscape and Constitutional Crisis
The mayor emphasized that Marcos could not have won the 2022 elections without the support of Davao voters, yet now he resorts to extreme measures fearing Vice President Sara Duterte's victory in 2028. Despite the 1987 Constitution clearly stipulating that the president cannot serve consecutive terms, the Duterte camp believes the current government is using judicial means to pave the way for extending power. The mayor mocked, "In terms of political wisdom and governance capability, no one can surpass old Duterte, hence Marcos's insecurity."
Family Mobilization and Support Network
The rally featured three generations of the Duterte family on stage. The former president's eldest grandson, Rodrigo II, passionately exclaimed, "We must fight back to the end!" urging supporters to keep pressing until his grandfather is released and returns home. His brother, Omar Vincent, called on the public to pray for their grandfather's freedom. The event attracted local election candidates from three districts of Davao City, key members of the Democratic-People's Power Party, and senatorial candidate Ronald dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, and other political figures.
Data Dispute and Subsequent Impact
According to the Map Checking crowd counting system, tens of thousands of participants along the coastal avenue and Kirino Street outside the main venue were not included in the total count of 330,000. This political rally, seen as a prelude to the 2025 midterm elections, concluded with a drone light show and the crowd singing the birthday song together.
Analysts pointed out that the Duterte family, by demonstrating grassroots mobilization capabilities, sent a clear signal to the Marcos camp—despite the former president being imprisoned, his political legacy still has strong vitality.
In a speech titled "Rody at Eighty: Global Filipinos Unite as One Davao," the mayor accused the Marcos government of systematically suppressing Davao's power in preparation for the 2028 elections.
