Duterte pays respect to the late Apo Lakay at Marcos mausoleum

BATAC CITY, Feb. 19–PDP Laban presidential standard bearer Rodrigo R. Duterte visited the cities of Laoag and Batac in Ilocos Norte, known as bailiwick of the Marcoses.

The Davao City mayor was not with his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano during the visit.

Dutarte was welcomed by roaring crowd at the Laoag International Airport at 3 p.m. Friday.

His group held a motorcade en route to the Provincial Capitol building in Laoag City where he paid a courtesy call on Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.

Duterte then met with local officials and several leaders of various sectors with whom he discussed federalism, among other issues in his platform of government.

Later, Duterte, accompanied by Governor Marcos, visited the Marcos mausoleum in Batac City and paid respect to the late President Ferdinand Marcos (Apo Lakay), whose body is kept in a refrigerated glass-encased coffin. Marcos’ preserved body remains in public display at the mausoleum since the time it was brought home in Batac in 1993.

Before flying back to Manila, Duterte addressed a gathering of faculty members and students at the Mariano Marcos State University hall where an audience of more than 5,000 attended.

A lighter side of his sortie also includes a joking bout on stage with several gays who asked him for a kiss. He quickly gave in to their request and joked it was alright for him saying “he too was once a gay.” The crowd cheered in laughter when he kissed the “ladies”. A video on it later went viral in the social media. (tsg)