Baste, supporters gather at Duterte home amid raid report

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and several supporters gathered outside the residence of former President Rodrigo Duterte following reports of an alleged raid, GMA Regional TV's Rgil Relator reported Friday on Unang Balita.

"May natanggap akong impormasyon na papasukin daw ang bahay," Baste said in the vernacular.

(I received information that the house would be raided.)

"Wala namang problema, sa totoo lang. Papasok sila, gusto nilang tingnan, ganyan. May respeto ako sa trabaho ng pulis. Ang problema diyan, wala akong tiwala sa liderato natin ngayon. Importante talaga ngayon na alam natin ang ating mga karapatan," he added.

(There's no problem if they want to enter and check the house. I respect the work of the police. The problem is I don't trust our leadership right now. It's important that we know our rights.)

The Police Regional Office 11 denied that there were any plans to raid the former President's home.

Mayor Duterte had returned from Manila, where he was processing his visa for a trip to the Netherlands. His father, Rodrigo Duterte, is currently in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Baste said that upon hearing about the alleged raid, he immediately returned to Davao City and arrived at his father's residence around 11 p.m. on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, Baste claimed the supposed raid was also set to target his and his siblings' residences.

"Now, we have verified information that search warrants have been issued targeting the residence of my father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, along with the homes of my siblings and myself," he said.

"This blatant act of intrusion into our private spaces raises serious concerns about the intent behind these actions," he added.

On Tuesday morning, authorities served an ICC warrant of arrest against Duterte for crimes against humanity in connection with his controversial drug war. 

The plane carrying Duterte to The Hague in the Netherlands departed the Philippines on Tuesday evening.

Early Thursday morning (Philippine time), Duterte entered the Hague Penitentiary Institution, also known as the Scheveningen Prison, where he will be held while awaiting trial.

Duterte's first appearance at the ICC was scheduled for Friday. — Joviland Rita/DVM, GMA Integrated News