Vice President Sara Duterte on Sunday reiterated her call for the interim release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center in The Hague, Netherlands.
Speaking during the “Bring FPRRD Home Alive” event in Seoul, South Korea, Duterte said the former president had assured the ICC that he would not flee from his case and would attend court hearings as scheduled.
“He has said multiple times that he will attend the trial. Their only fear is that their accused — their suspect — will disappear,” she said.
“So, give us what we are asking for: interim release. He won’t run. He’s 80 years old and already ill. If the ICC looks for him, they know exactly where to find him. He’ll just be in Davao City — he’s not going anywhere,” the Vice President added.
Duterte also said the former president never interfered with the investigation or court proceedings regarding the alleged extrajudicial killings related to his administration’s war on drugs.
She emphasized that all the witnesses, including her father’s accusers, remain alive, suggesting that the former president had not obstructed justice.
“The witnesses have been there a long time and nothing happened to them. Those so-called witnesses are still around, which means he didn’t interfere with the investigation or the trial,” she said.
“All your witnesses are alive and well from the beginning until now. So we ask the ICC to grant interim release,” Duterte added.
She also urged the ICC to dismiss the case, arguing it no longer has jurisdiction.
“They started investigating a year after we had already withdrawn from the ICC. That means they shouldn’t have investigated at all, because there’s only a limited time during which they can act. Beyond that, they have no authority. Otherwise, what’s to stop them from investigating cases a hundred years later? That’s not acceptable,” Duterte said.
“That’s why the lawyers are asking for the case to be dismissed — because the court no longer has jurisdiction,” she added.