Sara accepts ICC case vs father

Vice President Sara Duterte said she has accepted the legal situation surrounding the case of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, before the International Criminal Court (ICC), as proceedings move toward trial.

In an interview in The Hague, she said she does not expect the ICC to drop the case, which involves allegations of crimes against humanity linked to killings during the former president’s anti-drug campaign in Davao City and later during his presidency.

“I accepted it as it is,” she said, adding that from their assessment, the tribunal is unlikely to abandon the case.

“We don’t see any way that the ICC will let go of the case of President Duterte since this is one of only two ICC cases,” she said, noting that the family is now preparing for trial.

“This will really go to trial… the best way to move forward is to prepare for trial,” she added.

The Duterte camp has repeatedly questioned the ICC’s jurisdiction after the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019. However, the ICC maintains it retains authority over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a state party, particularly during the height of the anti-drug campaign that drew global scrutiny over thousands of deaths in police operations and vigilante-style killings.

Asked about her father’s condition, the Vice President said he appears healthy but suggested he may need therapy or structured physical activity while in detention.

On 23 April, the ICC confirmed crimes against humanity charges against Rodrigo Duterte. His legal team has since sought permission to appeal the Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling affirming the charges.

The tribunal has also formed Trial Chamber III, composed of Judges Joanna Korner, Keebong Paek, and Nicolas Guillou, to handle the case.

In a 1 May order, the chamber directed parties to submit comments on Duterte’s continued detention by 8 May, ahead of a scheduled status conference on 27 May as pre-trial proceedings continue.