Duterte hosts thanksgiving dinner for celebrity supporters

President Duterte hosted Wednesday evening a thanksgiving dinner for the celebrities who supported him during his campaign for the presidency in 2016.

Based on official Malacañang photos, Duterte and his long-time

partner Honeylet Avanceña hosted the dinner for a handful of celebrities.

The thanksgiving dinner was also confirmed by Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

Among the celebrities present were John Lloyd Cruz, Toni and Alex Gonzaga, Paul Soriano, Robin Padilla and wife Mariel Rodriguez, Philip Salvador, Bayani Agbayani, Michael Pangilinan, Ryan Bang, and Dulce.

Also present were celebrities who Duterte appointed to government offices including Ice Seguerra and wife Liza Diño, Jimmy Bondoc, Cesar Montano and Arnell Ignacio. Diño is still heading the Film Development Council (FDCP), while Bondoc is PAGCOR's vice president for entertainment. Seguerra, Montano, and Ignacio, on the other hand, resigned from their posts for different reasons.

In an Instagram post, Rodriguez said that the dinner consisted of salad, mushroom soup, fillet mignon and strawberry cheesecake, which Duterte requested. A special menu of fish was prepared for Robin and Freddie Aguilar, who are now practicing Islam.

Meanwhile, she said that while Duterte was not the first president she campaigned for, she said he was the first one to invite her to the Palace.

"The room was filled with celebrities who supported him both silently and openly," she said.

According to Rodriguez, Duterte thanked them for supporting him during the previous national elections.

"When the President arrived he sat down and immediately said, 'Mag-tatlong taon na ako'ng presidente, ngayon lang ako makapagpasalamat sa inyo (I've been president for three years yet it’s only now that I will be thanking you)," she recalled.