Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Ties w/ Dad Rodrigo, Family amid ICC Issue
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President claimed their “family has never been more united” until now that former Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is faced with an International Criminal Court battle.
Following the controversial March 11 arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Vice Pres. Duterte immediately followed her father in The Hague, Netherlands. According to her, she will set the legal team of the former President. It was confirmed that one of Duterte’s lawyers is British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.
The Duterte camp has yet to reveal the other members of the legal team of former Pres. Duterte. The Vice President who previously said that there are documents that must be processed hopes that they will be able to finish setting the team before she returns to the Philippines.
According to VP Sara, her brothers, Paolo and Sebastian, are also set to visit their father in The Hague, Netherlands. Her two (2) brothers are currently busy in their campaigns for the May 2025 Elections. Honeylet Avanceña, the long-time partner of FPRRD, and their daughter, Kitty, are currently in The Hague.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte revealed a renew relationship with former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. According to her, she has to thank Pres. Bongbong Marcos for it. The Chief Executive received a lot of backlash from the Duterte supporters for “allowing” the arrest of the former President.
According to the Vice President, she and her father only talk about family matters now as the legal matters are discussed between him and his lawyers. She revealed that growing up, they did not have much time to talk as he was always busy with the country.
Vice Pres. Duterte expressed her gratitude that she is able to do it now most especially that her father is already 80 years old. Although she’s sad that it has to happen this way, she sees the positive side of the situation.
Based on a report on GMA News, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte also stressed the unity of their family amid the ICC battle of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. According to her, the former President is really happy to see them his family.
“As I have told him, the family has never been more united, not just with us siblings, but with everyone else in the family,” VP Sara said.
VP Sara, Kitty, and Honeylet recently visited the former President at the ICC detention facility together. He is now under a regular detention in the Hague Penitentiary Institution after several days of monitoring at the facility’s hospital wing.
The confirmation of the charges against Duterte is set on September 23. Duterte’s lead counsel confirmed “working on” the former President’s interim release bid. However, Malacañang previously said that it won’t recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC in the country. The PH government’s nod is needed in the interim release.