VP Duterte calls for calm amid Father’s ICC appearance, urges focus on National issues

Vice President Sara Duterte urged the public to remain calm and patient as her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, faced the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.

"Tell them to just relax; everything has its limits. There will be a day of reckoning for all," she said in an interview, echoing her father’s message to his supporters.

She also expressed gratitude to those standing by their family during this challenging time.

"I’d like to thank our fellow Filipinos for your prayers and unwavering support for the former president. We can feel your love, your anger, and we empathize with everyone’s rage over what has happened," she said.

However, the Vice President reminded the public not to lose sight of the country’s pressing concerns.

"Let us not forget the real issues—the poverty, the corruption, the government's failure to ensure accountability and transparency, and the persistent problems in peace and security," she added.

The elder Duterte, 79, made his first appearance before the ICC on Friday, where he faces allegations of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s bloody war on drugs. The hearing served to inform him of the charges against him and his rights as a defendant.