'He needs it': Malacañang wishes Duterte good luck on his 80th birthday

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March 28, 2025 | 3:20pm

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang extended birthday greetings to former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained in the Netherlands, and wished him good health and good fortune on his 80th birthday, noting that he "needs it."

Singing to a happy birthday song, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, speaking at a media briefing, said, “We wish [him] more years to come, we also wish good health, good fortune, kailangan po niya iyan (he needs it).”

Castro’s remarks came as Duterte supporters prepared to stage protests across the country, particularly in his home region of Davao, to denounce his arrest and detention.

Castro maintained that citizens are free to protest as long as they comply with the law.

There were no orders to stifle any pro-Duterte protests, she said, but there are parameters they should not cross. She particularly warned against actions that could incite fear or hatred. Calls that fell short of inciting to sedition would also alarm authorities, Castro added.

Message from Marcos? Asked whether President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had a personal message for Duterte, Castro declined to comment. Social media posts of Marcos greeting Duterte on past birthdays resurfaced over the weekend.

Duterte is awaiting trial at the ICC for crimes against humanity tied to his controversial drug war. The crackdown resulted in the deaths of at least 6,000 individuals according to official records, though human rights groups estimate the toll could be as high as 30,000. Despite these numbers, only four convictions for extrajudicial killings have been recorded.

The Marcos administration has acknowledged difficulties in investigating these cases due to widespread lapses in police documentation and recording during Duterte’s presidency.