“Veering towards dictatorship”

CEBU, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte did not hold back as he once again criticized the current administration during the Cebu People’s Indignation Rally at Pasilong sa Paraiso in Mandaue City last Saturday, Feb 22. 2025.

The 83-year-old former chief executive, who delivered a speech lasting more than an hour while standing, likened President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to his father, former President Ferdinand Marcos.

“Si Mr. Marcos (Bongbong) is veering towards a dictatorship. Mopusta ko sa inyo, dili na monaog pagkahuman sa iyang termino. Pareha na sa iyang tatay, magkagubot na pud ta. Because ang iyang buhaton modeclare na pud og Martial Law pareho sa iyang papa," he said.

"Pag Martial Law walay election, siya napuy mo-elect. Iyang gamiton tong gibuhat sa iyang papa. Kay di na pud siya gyud kakanaog, maglisod na siya,” Duterte added, as the crowd continued to cheer and chanted his name.

Duterte’s statement caught the attention of Malacañang, which issued a statement yesterday calling out the former president for saying that Marcos Jr. is “veering towards dictatorship.”

“We treat the former president’s baseless and ridiculous statements in the same way that Filipinos are dismissive of them: a tall tale from a man prone to lying and to inventing hoaxes. This hoax is another budol emerging from a one-man fake-news factory,” part of the statement read.

"As our actions have consistently demonstrated, we will stay the course in upholding the Constitution, in adhering to the rule of law, and in respecting the rights of the people. We will not backslide into the oppressive ways of the previous administration, when critics were jailed upon trumped-up charges and when kill orders were publicly issued with glee and obeyed blindly," Malacanang's statement added.

Malacañang added that it is the leader of the troubled past who is depicting them as veering toward a system where anyone can be deprived of life, liberty, and property without due process of law—just as many had been on his mere say-so, as a tyrant who did not respect the rights of the people.

Further, in an exclusive interview with The Freeman yesterday to get his side to Malacañang’s latest statement, Duterte said the recent decisions of the administration supports his claim.

"I think that the pattern of their decisions or their movement is an indication of a more authoritarian rule in the coming days that could translate into dictatorship. Tapos wala nang election, eh magkagulo yan," he said.

Duterte stayed in one of the hotels in Cebu City overnight after the rally and came down late in the afternoon, where several hotel guests and supporters took photos with him, before he headed back home to Davao City.

Meanwhile, during the rally, Duterte called on supporters to vote for all nine of the senatorial candidates of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), three of whom joined the rally: singer-songwriter Atty. Jimmy Bondoc; Atty. Vic Rodriguez—former spokesman for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and executive secretary in 2022; and Sagip Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.

Aside from Rodriguez, Bondoc, and Marcoleta, other PDP-Laban senatorial candidates are reelectionist senators Christopher Go and Ronald de la Rosa; movie actor Philip Salvador; Pastor Apollo Quiboloy; Atty. Raul Lambino; and Atty. Jayvee Hinlo.

Duterte urged the crowd to vote for all the PDP-Laban candidates so that his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte’s, impeachment would not prosper.

The event at Pasilong sa Paraiso in Barangay Guizo, Mandaue City, was organized by Hakbang ng Maisug Cebu, in its hope for transparency, accountability, peace, and security as core policies in governance and nation-building.

The group earlier said that the holding of this indignation rally was related to the “railroaded” impeachment complaint against the vice president, issues over the 2025 budget, the suppression of free speech, the return of a thriving drug trade and the resulting rise in criminality, narcopolitics, and all other government abuses reportedly under the Marcos administration.  (CEBU NEWS)