Vice President Sara Duterte traveled to Hong Kong to join her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, for a Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) event, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed.
According to the OVP, she is expected to attend her father’s gathering with overseas Filipino workers in Wan Chai. The former president was spotted in Causeway Bay on March 8, amid speculation that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued a warrant of arrest against him, as reported by Hong Kong-based newspaper The Standard.
Duterte reportedly left the Philippines on March 7, with social media footage showing him at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He was accompanied by ten bodyguards, the report said.
Malacañang has not confirmed any arrest warrant from the ICC. Palace Spokesperson Undersecretary Claire Castro reiterated that while there is no official confirmation, the government would comply with any request from Interpol if required.
The ICC is investigating Duterte over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the controversial war on drugs, which resulted in thousands of deaths during his presidency. While government data places the toll at around 6,000, human rights groups estimate the figure could be as high as 30,000.
