Sara Duterte says ICC case exposes tribunal's 'true nature'

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday intensified her criticism of the International Criminal Court, saying the case against former president Rodrigo Duterte has exposed what she described as the tribunal's political agenda as more countries question their membership in the court.

Speaking to Filipino supporters in The Hague, Duterte was asked to comment on reports that several countries, including Chad and Venezuela, have announced moves to withdraw from the Rome Statute.

She said the proceedings involving the former president have allowed the international community to see "what kind of organization the ICC is."

Duterte maintained that the case against her father was politically motivated, arguing that both the complaint and the Philippine government's cooperation with the court were rooted in politics

“Ipinakita natin kung sino ang complainant—it's all about politics. Kung sino ang kumidnap sa kaniya, ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas—it's all about local politics,” she said.

She also questioned the ICC's investigation into the Duterte administration's anti-drug campaign, claiming there was a conflict of interest in the decision to pursue the probe.

She lamented that the former president, whom she described as an elderly man with deteriorating health, remains detained despite his age and physical condition.

"The whole world is now seeing what kind of institution the ICC is through the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte," she said.

The vice president also turned her attention to the Philippine media, accusing some news organizations of taking her statements out of context to build what she called a negative narrative against her family.

Without identifying specific outlets, Duterte said the quality of journalism in the Philippines lags behind that of international media, which she said places greater emphasis on context and thorough reporting.

She added that social media has become an important platform for people to verify events themselves rather than relying solely on mainstream news coverage.

“Mabuti na lang mayroon na tayong social media kung saan nakikita natin ang katotohanan sa nakita ng tao at sa lumabas mismo sa kanilang bibig,” she said.

Duterte likewise urged Filipinos to uphold discipline and integrity, saying that while not everyone has succumbed to greed, some have become overly driven by money.