Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Possible Freeze Order of Family’s Assets amid Father’s ICC Detention
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President spoke on the possible freeze order on her assets with regards to the International Criminal Court (ICC) case of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.
Vice Pres. Duterte immediately followed former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte in The Hague, Netherlands. The Dutertes were not allowed to see each other and talk when the former President was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) last March 11.
The arrest of the former President was reportedly due to the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The foreign court investigates the accusations surrounding the war on drugs of the Duterte administration which is linked to thousands of deaths.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte recently celebrated his 80 birthday and Vice Pres. Sara Duterte thanked him for teaching her the value of education. Countless Duterte supporters gathered in the different cities in the Philippines to celebrate and pray for the former President. Many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) also showed their support for Duterte.
According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, she will just set the legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and head home to the country. She stressed that the former President wants her to immediately return to the country. The legal team of the former President is set to be led by British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufaman.
There are speculations that the assets of the Duterte family may be under a freeze order amid the ICC case of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Recently, the Vice President spoke on the possibility that her assets will be frozen.
Based on a report on the Philippine Star, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that there is a very low chance that her assets will be frozen but is allegedly not impossible. The Vice President stressed that she is not part of her father’s case with the ICC.
“I have nothing to do with the ICC case. I don’t expect there will be a freezing of my assets, but if there will be freezing of my assets in relation to the ICC case, then that would show again harassment of my family in the Philippines,” VP Sara said.
Based on the report, with regards to the possibility of a freeze order on the assets of the Dutertes, Malacañang maintained that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC in the country. Thus, it denies an obligation to implement the freeze order when there would be.
As for the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), they have not received a formal request on the freezing of the assets of the Duterte family members. It stressed that it will evaluate and review the order in coordination with the other government agencies if there will be.
Amid his detention, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte requested his supporters to leave the matter to the lawyers and the court. He wants his supporters to show their anger and support to him by not talking about the case.