Ben Madilynn
VICE President Sara Duterte expressed confidence in the fairness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it handles the case of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte (FPRRD).
“We give our full trust to the judges and the ICC that they will be fair, unbiased, and objective in assessing all the petitions of the defense,” she said in a media interview on May 31, 2025, at Laan van Reagan en Gorbatjov Park in The Hague, Netherlands.
Despite this trust, Sara disclosed that as early as 2023, they received reports of alleged witness tampering by ICC investigators who had traveled to the Philippines. Because of these claims, she said they wrote to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to ask for his position on the ICC’s ongoing investigation.
The Vice President also addressed concerns about her father potentially targeting political opponents if allowed to return to the country. She said this would not happen, citing FPRRD’s political career and his record of not going after critics.
She pointed to former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV as an example, noting his outspoken criticism of FPRRD from 2015 to 2017 and beyond.
“He continued to run for public office and remains active in politics,” she said. “For me, talking about President Duterte did not bring harm to anyone. So that’s not his attitude. It’s not a critical analysis.”
Sara added that her father’s legal team is preparing for the hearing scheduled in September and is working within the framework of the Rome Statute to expedite his release or the dismissal of charges. She said she met with Atty. Harry Roque, on May 30, who has proposed a possible legal strategy for FPRRD’s release.
She also credited the Senate hearing conducted by Senator Imee Marcos on April 29, 2025, as a significant development in FPRRD’s case. According to her, Imee has since submitted a chairperson’s report to the Office of the Ombudsman, and they are now hoping that charges will be filed against those involved in bringing FPRRD to The Hague. RGP
Source: VP Sara Duterte Trusts ICC Fairness in Father’s Case
