Vice President Sara Duterte disclosed a personal and emotional request from her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, during her visit to the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (Manila time), Sara revealed that her father expressed his desire to be cremated in the Netherlands if he dies while in custody. “He said that if he dies here in the Netherlands, he doesn’t want his body to be brought back to the Philippines. He just wants to be cremated here, and only his ashes should be brought home,” she said.
Sara admitted she wasn’t entirely on board with the idea, joking that she is “not pro-cremation.” In response, the former president threatened — in jest — that he might come back to haunt her if she refuses to honor his request.
Reflecting on the exchange, Sara said such thoughts were understandable, given her father’s age. “Well, that’s probably natural for someone who’s 80 years old, right? To think that way,” she said. “So it’s also a good thing that we all know his last wishes, so that they can be fulfilled when the time comes.”
The vice president also shared observations from her visit, noting that while the elder Duterte had lost weight, the slimmer frame seemed to suit him, even saying his skin looked better compared to before.
The former president is currently detained at the ICC on allegations of crimes against humanity linked to the deadly drug war under his administration — a campaign that officially left more than 6,000 people dead, though human rights groups say the toll could be as high as 20,000.
