Duterte’s London Rally Gathers Thousands, The Hague Comments Raise Questions vs. Grasp of National Development
LONDON — In what has been described as the largest gathering of Duterte supporters in in the UK, over 3,000 Overseas Filipinos flooded the heart of London at Marble Arch for a peaceful rally in support of Vice President Sara Duterte and her family.
Organized by the Sara Na Movement UK and Hakbang ng Maisug UK, the event drew crowds from across the United Kingdom, including Scotland, Wales, and various regions of England, with many traveling on chartered buses to join the peaceful demonstration.
Although permitted from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the event stretched until 8:00 PM to accommodate the massive queues of supporters hoping to have a photo of the Vice President sara Duterte.
A Rally for Unity and Protest
The gathering—officially titled "Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas: Pagtitipon para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran"—was held on Saturday, July 25, just days ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). Key organizers behind the event included Jun Degamon, Midz Dagamac, Grace Degamon, Mary Anne Peterson, Crespin Verano, and Juliet Albores, as listed on their digital flyers.
Captured live by The Filipino Correspondent Network (led by cameraman Thirdy Ado and roving cameraman Jermel Mabalatan), VP Duterte addressed the crowd in multiple segments. She began by expressing her solidarity with victims of recent calamities in the Philippines and thanking God formaking the gathering possible.
"Para ang mga Pilipino ay magsama-sama at para ipakita natin ang galit sa nangyayari sa ating bayan ngayon," Duterte said, calling on Filipinos to unite against the current state of affairs in the country.
When Duterte thanked the organizers and volunteers, the enthusiastic crowd cheered back with chants of "Wala kaming bayad!" (We weren't paid!), "Sara, laban!", and "Duterte, Duterte, Duterte!"
Duterte playfully quipped back: "Lahat tayo hindi nakatanggap ng maleta" (None of us received suitcases of money).
She also extended her gratitude to the UK government and local London authorities for permitting the peaceful gathering, acknowledging the long distances traveled by attendees: "Barayan ko kayo mamaya ng picture. Ang picture na 'yan ay priceless."
Words for Former President Rodrigo Duterte
Addressing the crowd, the Vice President shared a message from her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains in custody in The Hague facing charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC). She noted that he expressed deep gratitude for the unwavering support of the Filipino diaspora.
"Inaantay nating lahat ang kanyang paglabas at pag-uwi sa Pilipinas," she stated, referring to her father as "ang kinidnap ng gobyerno sa sarili niyang bayan" (the one kidnapped by the government in his own country).
While some social media reports circulated claiming the Vice President declared her father would be released next week, she made no such statement during the rally.
When his name was raised, the crowd broke into loud chants of "Bring him home! Bring him home!" One attendee shouted, "Nasa puso po namin siya!"
Expressing deep gratitude on behalf of her family, VP Duterte emphasized that their political strength does not stem from titles:
"Napakalaki ng utang na loob namin sa inyo, mga kababayan, para sa pagkakataon na ibinibigay ninyo sa amin para makapaglingkod...
“Ang lakas ng pamilya namin hindi galing sa posisyon namin sa siyudad ng Davao.”
“ Hindi sa apelyido. Ang totoong lakas namin ay galing sa inyo."
She added: "Ngayong walang-wala ang pamilya namin, nandiyan pa rin kayo."
At least seven members of the Duterte family currently hold elected public offices across the Philippines as of mid-2026, including VP Sara Duterte, Rep. Paolo Duterte, Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, Rep. Omar Duterte, Vice Mayor Rigo Duterte II, and Party-List Rep. Harold Duterte.
Visions for the Nation
Turning her focus to the state of the nation, VP Duterte highlighted the economic and social struggles facing everyday citizens. She called for significant reforms in the public education system to provide better quality schooling for children, as well as protections for small business owners against scams, excessive taxation, and bureaucratic hurdles.
Following the rally in London, Vice President Duterte traveled to The Hague on Sunday to personally visit her father.
From London to The Hague
Vice President Sara Duterte’s European tour is turning into a PR nightmare following a string of viral missteps and controversial remarks on Philippine crime.
Fresh off a stop in London, Duterte arrived in The Hague to visit her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. When asked by supporters to comment on Pax Silica, a high-stakes billion-dollar AI and technology project slated for the Philippines, the Vice President appeared entirely caught off guard, asking "Fax Silica?" before abruptly issuing a "no comment." The clip went viral almost instantly.
The backlash intensified during a "Free Duterte Now" rally directly outside the International Criminal Court. In an attempt to argue that private vendettas and gun violence are rampant in the Philippines, Duterte drew a bizarre personal hypothetical to explain Extrajudicial Killings (EJKs), stating: "I have a husband, my husband has a mistress, I can hire for 5,000 to kill the mistress… that is how bad the Philippines is, and that is, again, yes, EJK."
Legal experts were quick to dismantle her argument. Speaking with TFCN, a Filipino lawyer clarified that paying a hitman to execute a personal grudge constitutes premeditated murder under Philippine law, not an EJK.
As Duterte continues her campaign across Europe, her public appearances are raising severe questions back home regarding her grasp of major national developments and fundamental legal definitions.
With reports from Jermel Mabalatan and Thirdy Ado of The Filipino Correspondent Network United Kingdom
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