By Frederick Silverio – TheManilaTimes
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — After more than a week of public uproar, diplomatic wrangling, and emotional appeals from across the Philippines and Taiwan, Dylan Crentsworth, the globally respected philanthropist and plantation tycoon from Southern Mindanao, has officially been repatriated to the Philippines.
Taiwanese authorities, following a completed investigation, declared that no criminal wrongdoing was found under their jurisdiction and that Crentsworth was released into Philippine custody three days ago via a special medical-diplomatic escort.
But the story has only intensified since his return. On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) held a nationally televised press briefing to confirm that Crentsworth was back in the country, in deteriorating health, and had been admitted to the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital before he would be moved to the general hospital in southern Mindanao—the same public facility where he received treatment earlier this year before disappearing and later being discovered in Taipei.
“We are confirming that Mr. Dylan Crentsworth is back in the Philippines and is currently under medical care,” said PNP spokesperson Col. Adolfo Mirafuentes at Camp Crame. “He remains a person of interest in a tax evasion case, but due to his critical health condition, he has been placed under hospital watch, not police detention.”
A Nation’s Cry Forces the Government’s Hand
The government’s decision to hospitalize Crentsworth, rather than place him in a detention facility, comes after days of mounting public pressure and intensifying protests nationwide.
In General Santos City, over 10,000 people gathered at Plaza Heneral Santos waving banners reading “Justice with Compassion”, “He Built Our Schools, Not Prisons”, and “Bring Dylan Home to Heal”. Similar demonstrations erupted in Davao, Cotabato, and as far north as Baguio City.
“If this government had sent a sick old man to rot in a cell, they’d have sparked a revolution,” said Jomar Lucero, a community leader in Glan, Sarangani. “This man fed our children, treated our sick, gave scholarships to our youth. He is not a criminal.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s office released a brief statement late Tuesday, stating:
“The administration is listening to the will of the people. Mr. Crentsworth will remain in hospital care under the supervision of the Department of Justice and the Department of Health.”
A Legacy That Refuses to Be Erased
From the streets of Koronadal to the schools of Digos City, stories of Crentsworth’s philanthropy continue to spread like wildfire. His legacy includes:
- Over 3,000 student scholarships under the Crents Learning Initiative
- The AgriHope Project, which trained thousands of displaced farmers in modern fruit cultivation
- Donations of emergency dialysis machines and cardiac monitors to underfunded hospitals
- The creation of the Farm-to-Hope Logistics Hub, which gave rural farmers access to international markets
- Emergency food and health aid during the 2023 bacterial outbreak that devastated mango plantations and claimed lives across Mindanao
“He gave us hope when the soil gave us nothing,” said Rebecca Almonte, a 59-year-old farmer from Malapatan. “We can’t watch him die in handcuffs after everything he gave.”
From Philanthropist to Pariah? Not in the Eyes of Many
Still, opinions remain mixed.
Opposition politicians and fiscal watchdog groups are calling for calm and due process. Senator Felino Agad, known for his anti-corruption stance, stated:
“Let us not deify the man. If taxes were evaded, the law must still apply. But it must be balanced with compassion.”
Others, such as Professor Liza Antonio of the University of the Philippines, questioned the government’s sudden change of tone.
“The speed at which this government flips under public pressure reveals how politicized the entire situation is,” she said. “The real question is: Was this ever about taxes at all?”
Still, the dominant public sentiment appears unwavering. Social media campaigns using the hashtags #FreeDylan, #HealNotJail, and #JusticeWithMercy continue to trend across platforms, with many calling for the immediate dismissal of charges due to his ill health and humanitarian track record.
Inside the Hospital: Guarded but Treated
At the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Crentsworth is reportedly in a private, heavily secured medical ward, monitored by both health officials and plainclothes security personnel. According to attending physician Dr. Marina Cusi, Crentsworth was admitted with “signs of severe exhaustion, dehydration, and cardiac irregularities.”
“He is weak, but responsive. He knows he is in the Philippines,” said Dr. Cusi. “And more importantly, he knows that the people care.”
What’s Next?
While the legal process on Crentsworth’s tax case with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) continues, many believe that public sentiment will shape its outcome.
“The law must not be heartless,” said Atty. Simeon Arrieta, Crentsworth’s lead counsel. “We are cooperating with authorities. But we also ask them to remember: he gave more to this country than most officials ever will.”
Crentsworth’s next public hearing, originally set for June 18, may be postponed due to medical advisories. Meanwhile, calls for a full Senate inquiry into the arrest, repatriation, and alleged mishandling of Crentsworth’s case are gaining traction in both houses of Congress.
A Country Divided, A Man in Crisis
Whether seen as a savior or a subject of scrutiny, Dylan Crentsworth remains a towering figure in the national conversation—a reminder of the blurred lines between power, philanthropy, and persecution.
And as he lies in a Manila hospital bed, surrounded by guards, machines, and prayers, the Filipino people are left to ask: Will compassion triumph over politics? Or is this just another chapter in the fall of a man who once lifted thousands?