Go urges Filipinos to press for Duterte's return

SEN. Bong Go appealed to Filipinos not to waver in their calls to bring former president Rodrigo Duterte back to the country after he was arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

Go and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte made the appeal during the 88th Araw ng Dabaw celebration last March 16.

Thousands of Duterte supporters gathered at the city's San Pedro Square to mark the occasion and to demand for Duterte's return.

Duterte was ordered arrested by ICC on March 11 through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and was flown the same day to The Hague, Netherlands.

Go shared the ordeal faced by Duterte — from his arrest at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to his detention at the Dutch prison Scheveningen in The Hague.

He said the 79-year-old Duterte should be brought home. "My only request to you is, we should not stop [from calling for his return to the country], we should not abandon him," he appealed to the former president's followers.

"Tatay (Father) Digong did his job. This is not how he should be treated," Go said as he recounted how Duterte's presidency brought changes to public safety and peace and order.