section_path: Prelude to arrest/Hong Kong PDP rally
section_name: Hong Kong PDP rally
paragraph_text: Hong Kong PDP rally
  
  On the morning of March 7, Rodrigo Duterte flew to Hong Kong with his common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña; their daughter, Veronica "Kitty" Duterte; their adoptive daughter, Mira; his former executive secretary, Salvador Medialdea; and his entourage. They had initially traveled from Davao City to Manila the previous evening. His eldest daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, flew to Hong Kong later on to join him. Duterte had already heard about the imminent arrest warrant from the ICC, and while in Hong Kong, he and his family debated whether to remain in Chinese territory or return to the Philippines.
  
  On March 8, the Hong Kong-based newspaper The Standard first reported Duterte's presence in the city after he was spotted in Causeway Bay with his entourage, amid circulating rumors that the ICC had issued an arrest warrant for him. Salvador Panelo, Duterte's former presidential legal counsel, stated that his trip was solely to thank supporters in Hong Kong at a Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) campaign sortie. He added that he would join Duterte the following day. The Philippine government did not confirm at the time whether the ICC had issued an arrest warrant but stated, "If Interpol will ask the necessary assistance from the government, it is obliged to follow" and that "the government is prepared in any eventuality".
  
  On March 9, Duterte attended a PDP campaign sortie organized by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) at the Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai, where he promoted his party's slate of senatorial candidates. Others who attended the sortie include Vice President Sara Duterte and Senators Bong Go and Robin Padilla, as well as senatorial candidates Vic Rodriguez, Raul Lambino, Rodante Marcoleta, Jimmy Bondoc, and Phillip Salvador. Senator Ronald dela Rosa was expected to attend but was unable to, while a standee for jailed pastor and KOJC founder Apollo Quiboloy, a senatorial candidate, was displayed on the campaign stage. Most of the attendees were female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). In his speech, Duterte acknowledged the rumored arrest warrant, expressing both defiance toward the ICC and readiness to face arrest. Jokingly, he added that the crowd could contribute "$5 or $10" each to fund a monument of himself beside a José Rizal statue in Davao City.
  
  From March 10 to the morning of March 11, hundreds of police officers were deployed at Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City, the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, and Metro Manila. The Manila Times reported that this was in preparation for the possible arrest of a high-profile but unidentified individual, widely speculated to be Duterte, who was set to return to the Philippines from Hong Kong. Prior to Duterte's return to the Philippines, his group had booked five separate flights back to the country in order to confuse authorities upon arrival.
  
  Rumors circulated that Duterte had sought political asylum in China. However, Sara Duterte stated that her father had not been in contact with Chinese officials during his stay.