BEARING the tagline Tay Kami Naman, supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte are appealing on emotion in submitting a targeted 500,000 signatures before the end of January to the Supreme Court.
The signatures will be used to supplement their petition to for habeas corpus against the government to produce Duterte (who is currently jailed in the Netherlands) before the High Court.
National organizer Eli Joi Cruz (also a popular blogger) is confident that the gathered signatures are persuasive enough for the petition to gain traction.
Literally translated as “dad, it’s our turn now”, the Tay Kami Naman signature campaign is meant to show proof that hundreds and thousands of Filipinos still support their former leader and want him back.
“The purpose of the habeas corpus petition is for the government to compel to produce the former President. Even if he is under the custody of The Hague, we don’t care how – it is the Philippine government’s responsibility to bring him back,” Cruz said.
The signature campaign kicked off Novembver 23 in Duterte’s hometown Davao City.
Cagayan de Oro’s leg occurred last January 16 in Market City (Agora) public market although there were already pocket signature campaigns held in the weeks leading to the event at the barangay level.
The signatories are urging the court to immediately act on the four pending petitions for habeas corpus since they beleive that Duterte’s arrest “was influenced by politics rather than guided purely by law.”
“The manner of his arrest and transfer, carried out without clear judicial oversight, raises serious doubts about respect for the rule of law and for the authority of this Honorable Court,” they additionally stated.
