Senator Bong Go on Duterte’s arrest: “frail, fragile, harmless na si Tatay Digong”
- Senator Bong Go expressed concern over former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest, emphasizing his old age and frailty
- He argued that elderly individuals like Duterte should be treated with compassion and questioned who would care for him under strict detention abroad
- Go highlighted the cultural value of respecting and taking care of elders in the Philippines and warned about potential risks to Duterte’s health in foreign custody
- Weeks ago, ICC Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc stated that their doctors had assessed Duterte and found him fully mentally aware and fit for detention
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Senator Christopher “Bong” Go voiced his concern over the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, emphasizing his age and health condition during the Senate committee on foreign relations’ second hearing on the matter.
Source: Facebook
Go insisted that Duterte, now 80 years old, should be treated with compassion, arguing that elderly individuals should be respected and cared for rather than subjected to strict detention conditions.
“Hindi rin ninyo isinaalang-alang na matanda na po si Tatay Digong. Ang matatanda po frail, fragile at, sa totoo lang, harmless na po si Tatay Digong,” Go said, stressing that Duterte supposedly no longer poses any threat.
The senator further questioned the implications of detaining Duterte abroad, citing the conditions in the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) detention center.
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”For humanitarian consideration, kahit sinong lola at lolo natin, ginagalang at inaalagaan natin. ‘Yun naman po ang ating kultura dito sa ating bansa. Ngayon, sa ibang bansa, mag-isa siya, napaka-istrikto pa doon, sinong mag-aalaga kay Tatay Digong doon? Paano nalang kung may mangyari sa kanya doon?” he added, expressing fears about Duterte’s well-being under foreign custody.
Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc addressed these concerns, stating that ICC doctors had already assessed Duterte’s health upon his arrival at the detention facility. According to Motoc, the medical team found him to be “fully mentally aware and fit,” dismissing any claims that his age or health made him unfit for detention.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, upon his arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, following a trip to Hong Kong. The arrest was executed based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), charging him with crimes against humanity during his presidency.  During his presidency from 2016 to 2022, Duterte’s antidrug campaign allegedly resulted in thousands of deaths. Human rights organizations have long criticized these operations, alleging extrajudicial killings and other severe human rights violations.
At a prayer rally held at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go became visibly emotional while singing “You Raise Me Up,” a song made famous by Josh Groban. Rappler shared a video of the performance on Instagram. The event, titled “Bring Him Home: A Prayer for Tatay Digong,” was organized in support of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was recently arrested on charges of crimes against humanity. Senator Go, a long-time aide and close confidant of Duterte, addressed the crowd, urging them to remain steadfast in their support during this challenging time.
Previously, Sen. Bong Go was able to speak with former President Rodrigo Duterte via video call. Screenshots from their conversation were shared on the senator’s social media page. The video call took place before Duterte’s chartered flight to The Hague, Netherlands.
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Source: KAMI.com.gh
