ILIGAN City ― Days after former President Rodrigo Duterte was hauled off to The Hague, Netherlands, I began noticing red ribbons tied to posts along major streets in the city. At first, I assumed they were political markers — maybe a campaign trail of sorts. But I was wrong. A Duterte supporter explained the ribbons were part of a movement: “Bring Duterte Home.” As I looked closely at the white letters stitched onto the fabric, I realized she was right. “Oh no,” I muttered. “Oh yes,” another jeepney passenger replied, clearly emotional. She said Duterte’s arrest and transport to The Hague was unjust. Another rider chimed in with similar conviction. I stayed quiet, wondering how we even got to this point. In my mind, Duterte’s eventual arrest didn’t begin with a bang — it started quietly, with subtle shifts. His appointees were gradually replaced by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s picks. People like Atty. Franklin M. Quijano at the Commission on Senior Citizens, and the head of the Mindanao Development Authority were quietly replaced. Then came Senate President Chiz Escudero, replacing Migz Zubiri — though not necessarily in chronological order. While the Senate is technically co-equal to the executive branch, as some street-smart folks might say, “who knows what goes on in the aparador?” Who knows what silent maneuvers led to Zubiri — a Mindanaoan — being ousted? Next came House investigations that eventually led to the impeachment of the vice president. Then came the manhunt for Quiboloy, which once seemed impossible, even with thousands of police scouring Davao City under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre. With all that “practice,” it likely felt easier to haul Duterte to the Netherlands months later. Torre, it seemed, had rehearsed both in mind and in motion. In business, this is called “downsizing” — when power becomes too costly to sustain. The Dutertes had grown too powerful for comfort, even though Duterte was no longer president. After all, someone else with his name — his daughter Sara — is poised to rise in 2028. In math, this is what we call an “improper fraction.” It has to be reduced to its lowest terms. But this reckoning didn’t start with BBM’s appointees. It started earlier — in 2016 or 2017 — when Atty. Jude Sabio, a lawyer from Misamis Oriental, went to the International Criminal Court to report on extrajudicial killings. Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes supported the effort, making remarks about eliminating competition “in the business,” presumably referring to the drug trade. Critics believed the killings disproportionately affected the poor. Some former DDS (Davao Death Squad) members — like Arturo Lascañas and Edgar Matobato — changed course, speaking out and testifying. Their testimonies were echoed by investigative journalists like Sheila Coronel, who described a quiet “resistance” made up of people helping victims’ families and enabling others to escape being targeted. There are reports that Lascañas and Matobato are now under the ICC’s witness protection program. And while it’s uncertain whether Duterte’s closeness to China helped or hurt him in the long run, the once-mighty Duterte dynasty has clearly been downsized — perhaps even “knocked down.” Yet the anti-Duterte camp must admit: Vice President Sara Duterte remains popular. She might survive her impeachment and even run for president in 2028. If that happens, will the dark days of “kill, kill, kill” return? Maybe not. Maybe her administration will chart a different course than her father’s. And as for the man now sitting in The Hague? Your guess is as good as mine. Email nora.lady@yahoo.com or contact 09073384874 | 09277983167 Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Big bites at Big Bite From strategy to sarcasm: Leadership unplugged Yummy goodies for the foodies Unifying our external senses and our spiritual powers Standard operating procedure Choosing battles a la Elias Weather Latest Articles Maoist guerrillas torch cassava facility in Bukidnon Ellorin refutes Moreno’s claims on unfinished projects Guard offs self in Initao Moreno dismisses blame for unfinished projects, fires back at Cabanlas Independent city council bets call for stronger tourism promotion