MANILA — Senator Bong Go on Wednesday said any talk of reconciliation between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the Duterte family must begin with the return of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippines.
Responding to Marcos’ recent statement expressing openness to reconcile with the Dutertes, Go, a longtime Duterte ally, made it clear that the former president’s return should be the first step.
“If reconciliation is truly your goal, bring Tatay Digong home first. He’s the one who should be part of the conversation — he served the nation for six years,” Go said.
He stressed that Duterte, as the family’s elder statesman, holds the key to any real resolution, and his return would signal genuine intent from the Marcos administration.
“I can’t speak for the whole family, but for me, sincerity is key. If you’re serious about dialogue, bring him back,” he added. “If you could send him to The Hague in 14 hours, surely you can bring him home just as fast.”
Tensions between the Marcoses and Dutertes have grown since the 2022 elections, where President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte ran as allies. Their alliance soured after Sara stepped down from the Cabinet and after former president Duterte publicly accused Marcos of drug use and labeled him a “wannabe dictator.”
Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte also slammed Marcos for lacking vision and called for his resignation.
Relations further deteriorated after Duterte’s arrest on charges related to crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court — a move the Marcos administration defended as part of its commitment to Interpol.