Sara renews call for Rody's interim release

Vice President Sara Duterte on Sunday reiterated her call for the interim release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center at The Hague, the Netherlands.

In her speech during the “Bring FPRRD Home Alive” event in Seoul, South Korea, Duterte said the former president had assured the ICC that he would not run from his case and would attend court hearings as scheduled.

"Ilang beses na siya nagsabi a-attend siya ng trial. 'Yan lang naman ang kinatatakutan nila na mawala 'yung kanilang akusado – 'yung kanilang suspect," she said.

"Kaya ibigay niyo na 'yung hinihingi natin na interim release. Hindi naman 'yan tatakbo, 80 years old na saka may mga sakit na. Sa ICC, kapag hinanap niyo 'yan, alam niyo kung saan hahanapin 'yan. Nandoon lang 'yan sa Davao City, hindi 'yan lalayas," the Vice President added.

Duterte also said the former president had not intervened or obstructed the investigation or trial proceedings regarding alleged extrajudicial killings linked to his administration's war on drugs.

She said all the witnesses—and even her father’s accusers—are still alive because the former president did not interfere and allowed the investigation to proceed.

"Ang tagal na ng mga witnesses na nandiyan, walang nangyari sa kanila. Nandiyan pa rin 'yung mga witnesses na sinasabi nila, ibig sabihin hindi siya nakikialam sa imbestigasyon o sa trial man," she said.

"Lahat ng mga witnesses niyo buhay na buhay simula noon hanggang ngayon. So 'yan ang pakiusap sa ICC, ibigay na ang interim release," the Vice President added.

Duterte also called on the ICC to dismiss the case, saying it no longer has jurisdiction to try her father.

"Nag-imbestiga sila isang taon pagkatapos na lumampas na isang taon pagkatapos nating umalis sa ICC. Ibig sabihin, hindi ka na pwedeng mag-imbestiga kasi meron lang period na pwede kang mag-imbestiga. Labas nun, hindi na pwede kasi ang lalabas niyan, kung walang period, ay pwedeng buong buhay mo — 100 years na ang dumaan — ay mag-iimbestiga pa rin sila. Hindi pwede 'yon," Duterte said.

"Kaya ang hinihingi ng mga abogado: i-dismiss ang kaso kasi wala ngang jurisdiction," she added.