Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday announced that she is set to travel to the Netherlands to meet with lawyers handling the case of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, following his arrest linked to alleged crimes against humanity.
The former president was apprehended on 11 March at around 9:40 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) upon his arrival from Hong Kong, based on an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The warrant stemmed from his controversial anti-drug campaign during his presidency, which allegedly led to thousands of extrajudicial killings.
According to the Vice President, their legal counsel at the ICC described her father's arrest as unprecedented. She shared that she was denied entry at Villamor Air Base, where the former president was being held.
“Kausap namin yung aming ICC lawyer at sabi niya na this has never happened before at sabi niya na it’s craziness,” she said.
Duterte added that arrangements have already been made for her to fly to the Netherlands to discuss with their legal team the next steps regarding her father's case.
“Mayroon na pong arrangements kasi kailangan ko kausapin ang mga abogado kung saan man siya dalhin. Pupunta kami, ako at mga abogado, at doon kami mag-uusap kung ano ang dapat gawin,” she said.
The Vice President also expressed her disappointment, stating that the former president should not have been taken out of the country and should have faced legal proceedings in a local court instead.
“Sa totoo lang, dapat hindi talaga yan umalis ng bansa si former President Rodrigo Duterte,” she said.
“Nakalagay sa rules ng ICC na the defendant should be taken to a local court. Dapat dinala siya sa korte at yung proseso natin sa loob ang masusunod para iimplement ang warrant,” she asserted.
Despite the former president's claim that the ICC no longer has jurisdiction over the Philippines and that his arrest lacked due process, he was still seen boarding a chartered flight around 9 p.m., reportedly en route to the Netherlands.
The Vice President also criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for allegedly breaking his earlier promise that his administration would not cooperate with the ICC regarding Duterte's case.
“I wrote him a letter and he replied that there will be no cooperation with the ICC. We will release that letter,” Duterte revealed.
“There is no legal basis at all to turn over or endorse the former president to the ICC… Kung para sila sa justice at batas, walang batas dito e so nasaan sila? Gagawin nila kung ano ang gusto nila kahit hindi tama, kahit mali,” she added.
“Nakakalungkot dahil saan ka ba nakahanap ng bayan na yung kaniyang citizen ibibigay niya sa dayuhan. Nakakahiya bilang isang Pilipino,” she lamented.
The Gulfstream G550 aircraft carrying the former president took off from Villamor Air Base at 11:03 p.m. after taxiing at around 10:50 p.m., according to a video shared on Facebook by a retired police officer.
As of this writing, former President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to arrive at The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday afternoon, where he will face the ICC for the pending case against him.