Why Duterte's diehard fans are carrying cardboard cut-outs around The Hague

It's morning in The Hague and Senator Robin Padilla is wandering around looking for a place to eat – while carrying a life-size full-colour cardboard cut-out of
Rodrigo Duterte
Settling down at an outdoor cafe, the Filipino political partisan props the standee beside him. The cardboard image of the former president depicts him seated, wearing dark glasses and a T-shirt. Padilla, president of the Duterte-controlled PDP Laban party, snaps a photo for his social media account.
To some, this scene may appear surreal – but not to the other Filipinos nearby, who are arriving in town with their own standees in tow.
In one video, a middle-aged Filipino woman rides a speeding tram while clutching a Duterte standee. She glances back at the bemused passengers, smiles and says earnestly: 'This is our president.'
Duterte, 80, is being held at the
International Criminal Court 's detention centre in Scheveningen, The Hague's seaside resort district. He is set to face trial this year for crimes against humanity related to his administration's 'war on drugs'.
Senator Robin Padilla having a 'breakfast meeting' with Rodrigo Duterte's standee in The Hague. Photo: Facebook/Robin Padilla

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

South China Morning Post

3 hours ago

• South China Morning Post

Europeans' meeting with top Iranian diplomat yields hope of more talks but no breakthrough

A meeting between Iran's foreign minister and top European diplomats on Friday yielded hopes of further talks but no indication of any immediate concrete breakthrough, a week after the crisis centred on the Iranian nuclear programme erupted into war between Israel and Tehran. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3½ hours after Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. In a joint written statement issued after the talks ended, the three European nations and the EU said that they 'discussed avenues towards a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear programme'. They reiterated their concerns about the 'expansion' of the nuclear programme, adding that it had 'no credible civilian purpose'. 'The good result today is that we leave the room with the impression that the Iranian side is fundamentally ready to continue talking about all important issues,' German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, adding both sides had held 'very serious talks'. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'We are keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue their talks with the United States.' He added that 'we were clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon'.

South China Morning Post

9 hours ago

• South China Morning Post

‘We're not billiard balls': how China's EU charm offensive fell flat

For half a year, a heated debate has raged over whether US President Donald Trump 's return to office would push Europe and China closer together. Pragmatists, realpolitikers and Beijing's allies argued that the EU could not afford a trade war with both of the world's largest economies while footing the bill for a hot war in Ukraine For months, EU leaders fuelled the speculation by voicing openness to deeper trade ties with Beijing, in a dramatic rhetorical shift from the previous three years of hostilities. But the debate appears to have been settled this week with a resounding 'no'. Behind-the-scenes impatience with China's failure to put any meat on the bones of a much-vaunted charm offensive has spilled into the public realm. Brussels, staggered by Beijing's failure to move even an inch on its trade gripes, has had enough. 'The current global trading system is not working as it should. Guard rails are clearly missing. On this point, Donald is right,' said Ursula von der Leyen at this week's G7 summit in Canada , referring to China's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 as 'the biggest challenge' facing the global order.

South China Morning Post

12 hours ago

• South China Morning Post

Chinese and EU trade officials hold talks after von der Leyen outburst

Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao and European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic held a video call on Thursday, as the two sides strive to keep a lid on simmering economic tensions and pave the way for a leaders' summit in Beijing. Advertisement 'Both sides agreed to work together to lay the groundwork for key economic and trade items on the China-EU agenda this year,' the Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement released on Friday. The two officials discussed a series of topics during the call, including export controls, market access, and the European Union's tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles , it added. The call came just days after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a hawkish critique of China during the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada on Monday. During a session on the global economy at the G7 summit, which was also attended by US President Donald Trump, von der Leyen accused Beijing of offering 'massive subsidies with the aim to dominate manufacturing and supply chains', calling it a 'distortion with intent'. Advertisement She also raised concerns over China's industrial overcapacity and accused Beijing of 'weaponising' its dominant position in the rare earth supply chain to 'undermine competitors in key industries'.