Choosing to shield an 81-year-old detainee from political turbulence, Vice President Sara Duterte made a deliberate decision not to tell her father about the impeachment proceedings now moving rapidly through the Philippine House of Representatives.
Speaking to supporters outside the Scheveningen prison in The Hague, Netherlands, following her visit to former president Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President explained her reasoning in plain terms.
“Hindi ko binanggit sa kanya ang impeachment at hindi ko binanggit sa kanya ang mga nangyari sa House of Representatives, so hindi niya alam na mayroong pangalawang posibleng impeachment na mangyayari,” she said.
Her concern, she said, was less about protecting herself from scrutiny and more about her father’s mental state while in detention. Sharing the news, she reasoned, carried no benefit for a man already facing crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court.
“Kasi sa tingin ko hindi niya kailangan malaman ang mga ganiyan na klase na bad news kasi wala din naman ‘yung value sa kanya. Nandoon naman siya sa loob. Ang mangyayari lang doon ay mag-iisip siya tapos mag-ooverthink siya. Siya lang mag-isa,” she said.
The Vice President also raised the question of what is appropriate for a man of his age and circumstances to carry emotionally.
“Hindi siya karapat-dapat para sa isang 81-year-old. Dapat ang alam lang niya ‘yung mga happy na mga bagay lalo pati nag-iisip tayo na baka nga d’yan siya bawian ng buhay sa loob, d’yan siya mamamatay sa loob ng detention,” she said.
Instead, she said, his thoughts should be directed elsewhere: “Dapat ‘yung maalala niya at naiisip niya ay ‘yung masasayang bagay.”
The visit took place as the House Committee on Justice had just voted 55–0 on May 4 to approve its committee report finding probable cause to impeach the Vice President on charges including misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family. A plenary vote is scheduled for May 11.
On the ICC proceedings involving her father, Sara Duterte said the family has accepted that the case will proceed to full trial. “We don’t see any way that the ICC will let go of the case of President Duterte,” she said, adding that preparations for trial are now underway. The former president’s legal team has filed a bid to challenge the Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling confirming crimes against humanity charges against him.
