Leila de Lima on VP Sara’s Warning About Duterte
LEILA DE LIMA – The former senator reacted to Vice President Sara Duterte’s statement that her father might meet the same fate as the late Senator Ninoy Aquino if he returns to the Philippines.
Earlier, Vice President Sara Duterte warned her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, about the dangers of returning to the Philippines, comparing his situation to that of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino.
Speaking at a meet-and-greet event with Duterte supporters in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 23, VP Sara shared that FPRRD frequently asked during her visits to his detention center at the International Criminal Court (ICC) whether he could return home. He expressed his desire to go back to the Philippines to campaign for the mayoral post in Davao City.
“Yun ang gusto niya, gusto niyang umuwi,” VP Sara said. “Sinabi ko din sa kaniya yun, ‘Pa, sabi ko, ‘yung kagustuhan mo na umuwi, iyan din ‘yung katapusan ng buhay mo, magiging Ninoy Aquino Jr. ka’.” Duterte reportedly accepted the risk, responding, “Kung ganiyan ang kapalaran ko, then so be it. Basta lang mauwi ako sa Pilipinas.”
Despite her deep concern for her father’s safety, VP Sara admitted that he remains determined to return despite the risks. Former President Duterte has been in ICC custody since his arrest on March 11 for alleged crimes against humanity related to his administration’s war on drugs.
Among those who reacted to Sara Duterte’s statement was former Senator Leila de Lima. In a Facebook post, she wrote: “Ninoy Aquino returned to the Philippines knowing it could cost him his life. His courage was for the nation, for democracy, for the Filipino people. Duterte’s drama today is nothing but a desperate attempt to escape accountability. Justice isn’t swayed by melodrama, only by truth. And history will always know the difference.”
As of press time, VP Sara has yet to respond to De Lima’s comment.