Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing legal battle at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has drawn strong reactions from his supporters and family. While he remains in The Hague facing charges related to his drug war, his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, assured that the family is standing firm by his side.
Sara recently visited the Hague Penitentiary Institution, where she shared that her father has accepted his fate. “Sabi niya, ‘Ipapasa-Diyos ko na yan lahat. Kung anong mangyari sa buhay ko, so be it,’” she revealed. (He said, “I am entrusting everything to God. Whatever happens to my life, so be it.”)
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Duterte on March 11, citing crimes against humanity linked to thousands of deaths under his anti-drug campaign. While police records report around 6,000 casualties, human rights groups claim the number could be as high as 30,000, including vigilante killings.
Despite the charges, Duterte remains defiant. In a past Senate hearing, he made his stance clear: “My mandate as President of the Republic was to protect the country and the Filipino people. Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses. I did what I had to do. Whether you believe it or not, I did for my country.”
Sara, who has a legal background, expressed appreciation for her father’s insistence that she study law. “Well yes, ganun naman lagi mag-isip si Pangulong Duterte… Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Buti na lang, pinilit kita maging abogado dahil alam ko na nang mangyayari sa akin ito,’” she shared. (Well yes, former President Duterte was always thinking like that. He told me, “I’m glad I persuaded you to pursue a legal career since I knew this would happen to me.”)
More of Duterte’s family members, including he former president’s common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and their daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte are expected to visit him in The Hague. As he approaches his 80th birthday, Sara wishes him “good health, comfort, and happiness.”
