Veronica "Kitty" Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, took to social media to express her deep sorrow and longing for her father following his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The former president was taken into custody due to his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity, a case tied to the ICC’s ongoing investigation into the controversial Oplan Tokhang anti-drug campaign that was launched during his administration. The campaign, which aimed to combat illegal drugs in the country, was widely criticized for alleged human rights violations and extrajudicial killings.
In an emotional Instagram post, Kitty Duterte shared a heartfelt moment with her father, posting a photo of herself kissing him on the cheek while accompanied by her niece. She captioned it, "Hours before he was taken from us. We miss you, Dada!" Her post quickly gained traction, drawing sympathy from supporters of the former president.
Prior to her social media post, Kitty Duterte had taken an active role in seeking justice for her father. She led a petition before the Supreme Court, urging the Philippine government to negotiate for his return to the country. The petition, backed by Duterte’s legal team and supporters, argues that his detention is unjust and calls for diplomatic efforts to bring him back to the Philippines.
As of this writing, former President Duterte remains detained at the ICC Detention Centre in Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands. His legal team is expected to challenge the charges against him, while his supporters in the Philippines continue to rally for his release.
Meanwhile, the ICC proceedings move forward, with global attention on the case that could set a precedent for international accountability.