Cong. Paolo Duterte Now in The Hague, Netherlands
PAOLO DUTERTE – The Davao City First District Congressman called the ICC detention facility where former President Rodrigo Duterte is detained as his father’s “retirement home”.
The Filipino people was shocked by the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte last March 11. The Philippine authorities implemented the arrest upon the former President’s arrival from Hong Kong. He was brought to Villamor Air Base where he was detained for several hours before he was flown to The Hague, Netherlands via Dubai.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte immediately left the Philippines for Netherlands to support former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte whose custody was transferred to the International Criminal Court. The former President is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity over his administration’s war on drugs.
Vice Pres. Duterte set the ICC legal team of former Pres. Duterte. According to her, the former President wants her to return to the Philippines immediately but she really want to set her father’s ICC legal team before heading back to the country. The ICC legal team of the former President is led by British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.
The ICC legal team of Duterte does not include a Filipino lawyer. French lawyer Dov Jacobs is also part of the team as an associate counsel for the former Philippine President. Ahead of the 80th birthday of former Pres. Duterte last March 28, his long-time partner, Honeylet Avanceña, and their daughter, Kitty Duterte, arrived in The Hague.
Kitty has returned to the country for her studies. Honeylet is also set to go back to the country where she runs several businesses. Now, it is the time of Cong. Paolo Duterte for his visits to former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte inside the ICC detention facility. The Davao City First District Congressman has arrived in The Hague.
Cong. Paolo Duterte who admitted that their family is close now amid the ICC battle of their father will be assisted by Honeylet Avanceña for a week before she returns to the country. He had already visited former Pres. Duterte inside the ICC detention facility.
Speaking to the Filipinos outside the ICC detention facility, Cong. Paolo Duterte admitted their pain over the ICC detention of their father considering his advanced age. Meanwhile, he stressed acceptance on the situation and prefer to call the ICC detention facility as a “retirement home”.
“Masakit talaga pero kung ‘yan ang purpose niya sa life, parang di naman din tama na for an 80-year-old na ang purpose mo ay ilalagay ka sa retirement home na ganito. Retirement home na lang tawag natin dito. Masakit talaga pero ito ‘yung binigay ng Diyos sa atin. Tatanggapin, haharapin na lang one day at a time,” based on a post on Facebook.
Cong. Paolo Duterte is set to stay in The Hague until the day before the election as he will vote in Davao City where he is seeking a reelection. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte recently confirmed that she will return to The Hague as she also revealed her birthday promise to her parents.