Sara Duterte: Talk with father at ICC touched on 'politics and love life'

Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday said she recently spoke with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center in The Hague, Netherlands.

According to her, their conversation touched on “politics and love life,” even as his defense team has argued that he is unfit for trial at the ICC due to deteriorating health.

“Tumawag siya [former President Duterte] last Friday. He's okay. Nag-usap kami about politics, nag-usap kami about flood control, nag-usap kami about love life niya,” Duterte said in an ambush interview after the House appropriations panel deliberated on her office’s proposed P889 million budget for 2026.

The Vice President declined to disclose her father’s views on the flood control scandal, citing restrictions on discussing matters inside the detention center.

“Ano pong masasabi niya? Bawal kasi ako mag-discuss kung anong pinag-uusapan sa loob. So hindi ko masabi kung anong sinasabi niya,” she said.

When asked if she thought her father was “sharp” during their talk, Duterte said it was best to wait for medical experts to weigh in.

“Antayin na lang siguro natin yung hearing sa competency kung meron man. I'm sure masasabi ng mga experts kung ano yung nakikita nila,” she said.

“Sa tingin ko naman mayroong mangyayaring hearing sa competency. So antayin na lang natin yung mga experts—both sides, sa ICC, sa prosecution, sa defense side. I'm sure maglalabasan yung mga experts para sabihin kung ano yung problema. Hindi ako expert sa kung ano dapat ang kapasidad ng isang witness or isang accused,” she added.

Recently, Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte's lead counsel, claimed the former president is suffering from “cognitive impairment in multiple domains,” rendering him unfit to stand trial.

The ICC has postponed the confirmation of charges hearing against the former president originally scheduled for 23 September, citing the defense’s statement.

The former president is detained in The Hague on charges of alleged crimes against humanity over drug war killings during his administration.