VP Sara Duterte visits father in ICC detention, calls arrest 'kidnapping'

Vice President Sara Duterte said she has already met and talked with her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, inside the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center in Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands.

"President Duterte is in the hospital wing of the detention center. He is in good spirits and well taken care of," Duterte said during a press conference.

She mentioned that the former president misses Filipino food.

"But very recently, their meal included rice, so that was a good development," she said.

Duterte added that their conversation covered his legal team, their family, and matters concerning the country.

The visit lasted only for an hour.

"We did not discuss his initial appearance. We only discussed the lawyers, the legal team, and what we are going to do in the next four days," she said.

She also noted that she didn't expect the former president to appear via livestream during the first hearing at the tribunal.

"I think that was the decision of the doctor. So, inside the facility, all the decisions are made by the doctor," she explained.

The next hearing is scheduled for 23 September.

Duterte further shared that they have not yet discussed the arrangements for the next of kin and relatives who will assist the former president.

"I will discuss it with them tonight and will relay to them what the president said and wanted to know. We haven't made any arrangements yet," she said.

"But I will not leave until a relative comes to make sure that there is a next of kin who will replace me here," the Vice President added.

She also noted that the former president had repeatedly urged her to return to the Philippines because he’s fine.

"When we talked, he [the former president] repeatedly said, 'Do not leave the country. Do not leave the Philippines.' And so I told him I know and understand that. And I do not want to be here as well. Unfortunately, I am the only one who had a Scheveningen visa, and I am the only one who is a lawyer," Duterte explained.

"I told him that when we're able to meet with the legal team, I will immediately return [to the Philippines]. I will be here until the legal team is doing their work, and we have relatives to assist him," the Vice President added.

"He said I should immediately go back, just leave him here, but I said I cannot do that because no one will decide for him outside. Very limited people have access to him right now. I told him I just have to form that legal team so I can work remotely in the Philippines while communicating with the legal team."

Duterte said her father appears well-rested.

"He said I don’t do anything here, except sleep and watch TV," she added.

Duterte reiterated her belief that her father was kidnapped, forcibly taken to another country.

"It was really kidnapping. You see comments all around the world from experts. They forcibly took my father to another country and illegally arrested him. So, that’s clearly kidnapping," she stated.

When asked if they would apply for the former president's interim release due to his age and health reasons, she said, "That is something that I cannot comment on because it’s a legal strategy."

She also shared a message her father gave for the Filipino people, "A lot of people are crying, they are depressed and stressed about what is happening right now and what is happening to our country. And then he said, 'Sabihin mo sa kanila relax lang dahil may hangganan ang lahat. There will be a day of reckoning for all.'"

The Vice President also expressed her gratitude to fellow Filipinos for their prayers and profound support for the former president.

"We can feel your love, we can feel your anger, and we can empathize with everyone about what happened," she said.

"Let us not forget the real issues in our country — and that is poverty, corruption, and failure of the government to answer the demands from the people about accountability and transparency, and the failure of the government to address peace and security in our country," the Vice President concluded.