The multitude of people and their long hour of wait left Duterte teary-eyed, overwhelmed by the warm welcome of the people of Bulacan who did not leave the Malolos Sports and Convention Center starting in the morning until he arrived at 10 in the evening.
Theofel Santos, a news reporter in Bulacan and husband of a local reporter also in the province who is at the same time a village councilor in this city took photos of the blow-by-blow actions on Duterte’s rally inside the Sports Center.
“Sobrang dami ng tao, nagulat siya at napaiyak sa dulo nang makita niya ang mga taong lahat ay boluntaryo lang, sarili nilang gasta ang pagkain at paraphernalia Makita lang siya at maka-attend lang sa political rally niya,” Santos told Punto!
Duterte had a hard time entering the Convention Center because of the wide number of people and vehicles parked in front and with his supporters reaching out to shake hands with him, greet him and had picture with him.
Upon entering, Duterte was greeted by 15,000 to 20,000 “Diehard Duterte Supporters” with their “Sigaw ng Bulacan” theme for the grand political rally.
The leading presidential candidate wasted no time in lashing out at his rivals saying he was being pinned down today by almost all of them after he recently topped the most recent surveys.
He called Vice President Jejomar Binay “the butcher of the people’s money” in retaliation to an earlier accusation hurled against him of being a “butcher”.
“Kung berdugo man ako, ang naapketuhan lang ay ang criminal, pero sa pagnanakaw ng pera ng bayan, ang bayan ang naapektuhan,” he said.
Duterte also said the proper way to solve the country’s rift with China over the issue on claims on the West Philippine Sea is to have a dialogue with its leaders for a peaceful settlement.
The DDS members who uses fist as their official seal both in campaign paraphernalia and in social media posts started waiting early in and outside the Convention Center. They all went home past midnight after Duterte had given his words and shook hands with the people and posed with them on camera and for selfies.
Orlan Mauricio, the lead organizer for Duterte’s arrival here, said the crowd in the City of Malolos alone is so far the largest presidential political rally in Bulacan.
In San Miguel and Baliwag towns, 10,000 to 15,000 supporters also waited for hours, with Duterte arriving at 5 p.m. and past 7 p.m. respectively, from an original schedule of 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in San Miguel and 2-3 p.m. in Baliwag.
Jose Rey Munsayac, a member of the Luzon core of political leaders and campaigners of Duterte, said that with the number of people who joined the grand rally motorcades in the towns “Duterte will certainly Roxas, Binay and Poe.”
