Photo credit: Bong Go

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go couldn’t hold back his tears as he spoke about former President Rodrigo Duterte and his youngest daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, during the “Bring PRRD Home” prayer gathering at Liwasang Bonifacio on March 15.

Go, who has been a loyal aide to Duterte for decades, urged Filipinos to pray for the former president’s health and safe return. But amid the political chaos, he also took a moment to acknowledge Kitty’s resilience, expressing admiration for how she’s handling the situation at just 20 years old.

Kitty Duterte: Caught in Politics Too Soon

“Alam ko nang nangungulila kayo… nakausap ko si Kitty kahapon. Alam n’yo, bilib ako kay Kitty. Sa murang edad na 20, dapat hindi s’ya kasama sa politika. Dapat nag-aaral s’ya ngayon. Pero sinama s’ya sa dumi ng politika,” Go said, his voice breaking.

He shared a deeply personal conversation he had with Kitty, where she opened up about the emotional toll of the ongoing controversy.

“Tinawagan ko s’ya kahapon. Ninong n’ya ako eh. Sabi n’ya, ‘Ninong Bong.’ Hindi ko mapigilang umiyak. First time ko umiyak talaga na kausap s’ya,” he revealed.

But it was Kitty’s next words that truly broke him.

“Sabi n’ya sa akin, ‘Ninong, ikaw na muna ang tatay ko. Wala na akong tatay,’” Go recounted, struggling to contain his emotions.

Despite everything, he described Kitty as brave beyond her years. “Sobrang tapang ni Kitty. Sabi n’ya, ‘Ninong, be strong, be straightforward.’”

Duterte’s Health and Arrest: "Pati Tsinelas, Wala S’ya"

Go also gave a glimpse into Duterte’s recent struggles, including his health concerns. He recalled how he personally accompanied Duterte to his medical check-ups, emphasizing the urgency of his treatments.

“Umpisa nung December, d’yan sa Cardinal (Santos Medical Center), sinamahan ko s’ya… Enero, bumalik uli kami. Pebrero, bumalik uli kami. March 12 po s’ya schedule uli. Para sa pagpapagamot n’ya, pinagkait nila. Pati gamot, ayaw ibigay sa kanya,” he said, frustration evident in his tone.

Adding to the emotional weight of his speech, Go painted a stark image of Duterte’s situation after his arrest.

“Alam n’yo, wala siyang tsinelas. Pati tsinelas, pati tsinelas n’ya, wala,” he said.

A Call for Unity

As emotions ran high, Go urged supporters to remain calm and stand together.

“Ito ‘yung panahon magkaisa ang Pilipino. Magkaisa tayo para kay Tatay Digong. Nakikiusap po ako na huminahon po tayo. ‘Wag po tayong gumawa ng bagay na babalik sa atin,” he said, appealing for restraint.

He also had a pointed message for politicians, reminding them of Duterte’s service to the country.

“Alam ko mga politiko, nakikinig kayo. Makonsensya naman kayo. Anim na taon kayong minahal ni Tatay Digong. Pinansin kayo, minahal kayo, pinaglingkuran kayo. Sana naman, ‘wag n’yo na pabayaan. Sabi ko nga, nakakatulog pa ba kayo sa gabi?”

The prayer gathering at Liwasang Bonifacio was filled with Duterte supporters, religious leaders, and testimonies recounting the timeline of his arrest. As the event wrapped up, one thing was clear—his loyal allies, including Bong Go, aren’t backing down anytime soon.