Vice President Sara Duterte has strongly criticized the government for allowing the transfer of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, calling it a betrayal of Philippine sovereignty.
“Our own government has surrendered a Filipino citizen—even a former President at that—to foreign powers,” she said in a statement posted on social media. She described the move as an “insult to every Filipino who believes in our nation’s independence.”
Duterte was taken into custody earlier in the day and, according to his daughter, “has not been brought before any competent judicial authority” in the Philippines to challenge the arrest. She accused authorities of violating his fundamental rights and preventing him from seeking legal remedies.
As of her statement, Duterte was reportedly being “forcibly taken to The Hague tonight.” The Vice President condemned the situation, calling it “not justice—this is oppression and persecution.”
Her remarks come amid mounting tensions between Duterte’s supporters and the government, with allies like Senator Robin Padilla and former spokesperson Harry Roque calling for protests. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to issue an official response.
