Duterte arrest weighs in on some senatorial candidates’ campaign

Metro Manila, Philippines - Some candidates in the May elections are encountering the initial effects of the detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte in the Netherlands on the campaign trail.

In particular, re-electionists Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Imee Marcos and former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson shared experiences from their sorties in separate interviews and statements on Friday, March 14.

Dela Rosa, who is also under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for carrying out the bloody drug war, lamented the prospect of his arrest as well.

“Wala nang campaign. I will leave it up to the Filipino people. Alam naman ng taumbayan kung ano nangyari,” he told NewsWatch Plus’ “The Newsmaker” when asked how his campaign should proceed is he is apprehended.

[Translation: There will be no more campaigns. I will leave it up to the Filipino people. The people know what happened.]

A close friend of the Duterte’s, presidential sister Sen. Marcos is distancing herself from the administration. She apologized to the people as she won’t be able to attend the campaign of the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas in Tacloban City.

“Hindi ko matanggap ang ginawa kay FPRRD (former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte). Pinag-aaralan ko ang mga pangyayari upang maliwanagan ang sambayanan, makabuo ng makatotohanang solusyon patungkol sa pagtangay sa dating pangulo,” she said.

[Translation: I cannot accept what they did to the former president. I am studying what transpired to shed light to the public and to craft a solution regarding their arrest.]

Administration bet Lacson said Duterte has several supporters in the Visayas and his stronghold, Mindanao.

But whether the former president’s arrest was right or wrong, Lacson said “only time will tell… History books na magsasabi niyan [will tell that].”

Duterte is under arrest for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his illegal drug crackdown which, rights groups said, had killed up to 30,000 victims.

He is under the ICC custody at the Hague, Netherlands where he will appear before the pre-trial chamber on Friday evening, March 14, Manila time.