This is one good story that will be retold long after the 2016 national elections are over.
On Saturday, there were intrepid groups that headed to Rizal Park in Manila in a bid to plead for the iron-fisted mayor of Davao City to reconsider his decision not to stand in next year’s presidential race.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had discouraged the rally well ahead, telling his supporters to quit it.
The rally nevertheless pushed through with groups from different points of the country, like far-off Mindanao and Ilocos in buses and jeepneys, starting to descend upon the rain-threatened national park after lunch on Saturday.
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It was quite odd because these people were not unlike backers of a ball club who would attend a championship game knowing all too well their main star, the team’s pillar and main hope, would be a no-show.
The sky was overcast, an assertive breeze prevailed, the rallyists came ready with their umbrellas, no packed lunch.
There was no rush around, but shortly after 2 p.m, traffic started to crawl along the corner of Roxas Boulevard and T.M. Kalaw Street, and an extra unit of cops had to move in to prevent clogging.
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Side street parliamentarian Tony Bulatao reported from his post southwest of Quirino Grandstand that about 3,000 people had converged.
One radio report would, however, say there were less than a thousand in the area.
Anyway, a program was held on a makeshift stage, with the singer Victor Wood, long gone from public view, rendering a couple of numbers and leading a call on Duterte to run, please, run.
There were several speakers, a former governor, a former military brass, and a short balding figure in red, a barangay official in Davao who started the movement in 2014 to call on Duterte to run for president.
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There was a downpour a little after four, but the crowd put up umbrellas and stood its ground.
“Kahanga-hanga, unbelievable,” said veteran wire service photographer Bullit Marquez, who was rushing back to office to feed the colorful canvas of cold but hopeful volunteers on the soggy park to the world.
Marquez noted a rainbow around 4.45 p.m., and how people cheered after a speaker onstage pointed to the auspicious sign.
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As noted in a report the day after, the crowd steadily grew after 5 p.m. despite the downpour.
Of course, the rally could not measure up to the Million People march previously staged at the same park to protest anomalous pork-barrel allocations under the Aquino administration.
Meanwhile, one speaker made an update during the rally by saying Duterte was in Zamboanga City helping to find solutions to the crisis involving foreigners abducted on Samal Island.
The speaker said Duterte reportedly offered himself as hostage in place of the foreigners. It was time to go.
There was nothing clear on what would come out of the rally, except that it revealed a passionate call for change through the vehemence of volunteers who came on their own to plead their case.
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By dinnertime Saturday came a text message containing a statement from Duterte, who admitted he had been moved by the sacrifice done by the poor rallyists.
Said Duterte: “I heard your clamor loud and clear. I know you want an alternative to those who now present themselves with their ambition to lead the country. I have repeatedly said that I do not have ambitions to be your president. Leaders answer not their self-interest or their personal glory. Leaders respond to duty and moral obligation.”
He asked for a chance to do one final soul-searching, after which he would face his country and people to make a final decision from his heart and soul.
Duterte promised the rallyists they would never be abandoned.
“Hinding hindi ko kayo pababayaan.”