The camp of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte has secured a third country for his request for interim release, Vice President Sara Duterte disclosed over the weekend.

Duterte said her father's lawyer has already filed a petition for jurisdiction, arguing that the International Criminal Court (ICC) no longer has jurisdiction on the case since the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019.

"Sinasabi ng kanyang abogado na wala na kayong jurisdiction sa kaso na ito dahil nagsimula ang imbestigasyon ninyo dalawang taon na noong pag-alis ng Pilipinas sa ICC, ‘yan ang sinasabi ng abogado niya. At maraming legal experts, at meron tayong, meron siyang kinuhang legal expert din na nagsasabi na tama nga, hindi na kayo pwedeng mag-imbestiga dahil tapos na ‘yung one year period na pwede kayong mag-imbestiga after withdrawal," said Duterte in her speech before the Filipino crowd in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, 20 September.

She added that her father’s legal team also filed for interim release, which requires a third country willing to host the former president.

"Pangalawa na finile ng abogado ay ‘yung interim release. Ang kailangan kasi sa interim release ay ‘yung third country o yung bansa na tatanggap kay Pangulong Duterte. So, kailangan ito ng third country. Nag-file na ‘yung lawyer. Kung makikita nyo sa ICC website, meron ng third country doon. Meron ng isang bansa na nagsabi na okay lang na dito ninyo ilagay si Dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte," she said, without specifying which country would host him.

Duterte acknowledged that negotiations took some time.

"So medyo matagal ‘yun dahil hindi madali makipag-negosasyon sa isang bansa. Pero sabi ko nga dahil sa pagdarasal ninyo, may mga good news na nangyayari. So mayroong isang bansa na nagsabi, sige okay lang, dito ninyo siya dalhin. At masasabi ko, hindi Japan. ‘Yun lang. Hindi kong masabi sa inyo kung saan, pero pwede kong sabihin, hindi siya sa Japan," she said.

The Vice President also addressed opposition from the ICC prosecutor regarding the interim release.

"Ano ba ang sinasabi ng prosecutor? Kung nakikita niyo, kumontra sila sa interim release. Sabi nila hindi pwede ‘yan kasi ang dami niyang kaibigan sa buong mundo. Ang laki ng network ng supporters niya. ‘Yan ang sinasabi ng prosecutor, kaya hindi daw pwede," she added.

The elder Duterte is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands, for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his controversial war on illegal drugs.