“Ginugunita natin ngayon ang ika-isang daang araw mula nang dalhin nila si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa The Hague --- 100 days ago, kinuha nila sa piling natin ang minsa’y naging ama ng ating bansa, 100 days na tayong nangungulila sa ating Tatay Digong,” Go said in a statement released on Thursday, June 19.
“Hindi tayo titigil sa panawagan natin: Bring him home!” he declared. “Sabi nga ni Tatay Digong, he is a Filipino. And he loves the Philippines because it is the land of his birth, it is the home of his people.”
Go argued that it should be Filipinos—through Philippine courts and institutions—who determine Duterte’s accountability, if any. He reiterated that Duterte had done his job to the best of his ability in protecting Filipinos, especially in the context of the campaign against illegal drugs.
“Ang mga kababayan lamang natin ang dapat humusga kung naging maayos at epektibo ba ang kampanya laban sa iligal na droga. Sila ang mas nakakaalam kung ligtas sila noon na nakakauwi sa kanilang pamilya na hindi nasasaktan at kung hindi nababastos ang kanilang mga anak ng mga adik at ibang kriminal, lalo na sa gabi,” Go explained.
“Sa tingin ko, sa resulta pa lang ng nakaraang eleksyon, hindi na natin maitatanggi — nag-desisyon na ang taumbayan,” he said.
“Matanda na si Tatay Digong, 80 years old na siya. Kultura natin na inaalagaan ang mga matatanda, ginagalang at hindi pinapabayaan,” he added, underscoring Duterte’s wish to spend his remaining years in Davao City where he was recently elected to serve as mayor.
Senator Go then made a heartfelt appeal to the Filipino people: “Kaya nananawagan po ako sa buong sambayanang Pilipino. Ipagdasal po natin ang kalusugan, kaligtasan, at kalayaan ni Tatay Digong. Huwag po tayong tumigil hangga't hindi siya nakakauwi.”
For Go, the clamor to bring Duterte home is not only about one man’s fate—but about upholding justice under Philippine laws.
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