Vice President Sara Duterte said she hopes to meet with her predecessor, former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, when she visits the Bicol Region later this month for the Peñafrancia Festival.
“We haven’t finalized the schedule yet, but yes, we would like to meet not only the officials of Naga but also those across the entire Bicol Region if time permits,” Duterte told reporters in The Hague on Monday.
“But mainly, we are going there to celebrate and pray with the Bicolanos during their biggest festival, the Peñafrancia,” she said.
The Vice President confirmed her trip to Bicol will include small sectoral gatherings to discuss local issues, particularly those affected by corruption in government projects.
Meanwhile, she revealed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has barred her family from disclosing details of their visits to their father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains in detention in The Hague.
“All I can say is that President Duterte is still alive. That’s it. We were reminded that we’re not allowed to share what happens or what we talk about during our visits,” she said.
The Vice President said her family is preparing for the ICC’s confirmation of charges hearing of the former president on 23 September.
Before her Bicol visit, she is scheduled to attend Filipino community gatherings in Tokyo and Nagoya in Japan on 20 and 21 September.