PRO-XI: Crowd in March 28 rallies in Davao Region estimated at 96,100

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/2 Apr) — Contrary to the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) count of 60,000 participants in the rallies all over the country during the birthday of former President Rodrigo Duterte Friday last week, the Police Regional Office XI said that in the Davao Region alone, 96,100 joined.

The March 28 rally in Davao City before it peaked in the evening. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

Maj. Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of PRO-XI, said that during the rally in Davao City, dubbed as “Rody at 80: Global Celebration of His Life and Legacy,” the crowd peaked at 60,000. But the “overall crowd” in the whole Davao Region—Davao de Oro, Davao del Note, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, and Davao City—was at 96,100, she said during a press conference Wednesday morning.

Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson of the PNP, said on Sunday that only 60,000 supporters attended the pro-Duterte rallies in 200 areas nationwide.

“I don’t know exactly where [Fajardo] got the data. Perhaps the data she got is from an early reporting, but I can’t comment on that,” Dela Rey said.

“But what we reported was 96,100 participated in Davao Region rallies supporting Duterte in 27 different cities and municipalities spread across the region,” she added.

She said it was a rough estimate based on reports from policemen who were deployed to the rallies.

For instance, Dela Rey said that the Duterte prayer rally in Bansalan, Davao del Sur was attended by 7,000 people. In Tagum, 6,000 came, she added.

Dabawenyos converge on C.M. Recto and Roxas Avenues. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

Davao media, however, reported a much larger crowd in Davao City alone, claiming it was at least 300,000.

SunStar pegged the number at 330,000, supposedly using the MapChecking tool online. Edge Davao, on the other hand, said “around 350,000 Duterte supporters swarmed the C.M. Recto Avenue and Roxas Avenue.”

But Dela Rey assured that their reports were true and not fake news.

The prayer rally for former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was mayor of the city for a total of 22 years, resulted in heavy traffic congestion downtown as the whole Roxas Avenue and C.M. Recto Avenue, and part of J.P. Laurel Avenue, were closed to vehicular traffic.

The stage for the event was put up at the junction of C.M. Recto and Roxas avenues.

The patriarch Duterte is now at The Hague, the Netherlands for his trial at the International Criminal Court for “crime against humanity of murder” in relation to his bloody “war on drugs” since he was mayor until becoming president.

He has filed his candidacy for mayor of Davao City for the 2025 elections, challenged by Karlo Nograles, former Civil Service Commission chair and son of Duterte’s former political rival, the late Prospero “Boy” Nograles.

Rodrigo was mayor of Davao City from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010, 2013 to 2016 and President from 2016 to 2022. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)