Senator Bong Go has stressed that any effort toward reconciliation between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Duterte family must begin with the return of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the Philippines.
Reacting to Marcos’ recent openness to reconcile with the Dutertes, Go said the move must be grounded in sincerity. “Kung gusto niyo po ng reconciliation, pabalikin niyo muna si Tatay Digong,” the senator said in an ABS-CBN News report, noting that it’s the former president who should be engaged directly in any dialogue.
Go, a longtime aide and ally of Duterte, explained that bringing back the former leader would reflect a genuine intent from the Marcos camp to patch things up. “Unang hakbang diyan, pauwiin si Tatay Digong,” he added, emphasizing the elder Duterte’s significance and his years of service to the nation.
The rift between the Marcos and Duterte camps deepened over the past year following a series of public criticisms and falling outs. The former president, in January 2024, openly called Marcos “bangag,” implying he was under the influence of drugs. His children, Vice President Sara Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, have also taken turns criticizing the Marcos administration.
Relations further soured after Duterte’s attendance at a rally where Marcos was attacked, which First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos said left her deeply hurt. Tensions escalated when the Marcos administration stood by international authorities following the issuance of an arrest warrant for the elder Duterte over alleged crimes against humanity.
Despite their once-strong alliance during the 2022 elections, the two families have since drifted apart, and the path to reconciliation appears to hinge on one condition: Duterte’s return.
