Why Duterte’s diehard fans are carrying cardboard cut-outs around The Hague

Settling down at an outdoor cafe, the Filipino political partisan props the standee beside him. The cardboard image of the former president depicts him seated, wearing dark glasses and a T-shirt. Padilla, president of the Duterte-controlled PDP Laban party, snaps a photo for his social media account.

To some, this scene may appear surreal – but not to the other Filipinos nearby, who are arriving in town with their own standees in tow.

In one video, a middle-aged Filipino woman rides a speeding tram while clutching a Duterte standee. She glances back at the bemused passengers, smiles and says earnestly: “This is our president.”