Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Arrest of Former Pres. Duterte
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President questioned the “silence” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was allegedly not allowed to see his daughter, Vice Pres. Duterte, during his detention at the Villamor Air Base. It was only his common-law wife, Honeylet Avancena, and daughter Veronica “Kitty” Duterte who were with him upon his arrival from Hong Kong.
Honeylet and Kitty were the ones spotted shielding the former President from the hands of the authorities. However, March 10 ended with Duterte being flown to Dubai en route for the Netherlands.
On March 11, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte left the Philippines for the Netherlands to support former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. He is currently detained in the Hague Penitentiary Institution.
Duterte made his initial appearance before the pre-trial chamber of the ICC remotely last March 15. He was represented by his former executive secretary, Salvador Medialdea. The arrest of the former President and his transfer to the custody of the ICC earned different reactions.
Countless people slammed the Philippine government and Pres. Bongbong Marcos for allowing the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. There are questions on the legality of the process. Marcos Jr. stressed that the arrest of Duterte followed a legal procedure.
Recently, during the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations inquiry regarding the legality of the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, his daughter, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, appeared virtually. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the Vice President questioned the “silence” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the turn of events.
“Even more disturbing is the silence of the Armed Forces of the Philppines. Why did the AFP stand idly by when a former commander in chief was taken from a military base under questionable circumstances?” Vice Pres. Duterte said.
Based on the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was barred from entering Villamor Air Base where former Pres. Duterte stayed until his flight to Dubai has left. Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Nicolas Torre III claimed it was he who ordered that the Vice President won’t be allowed to enter to prevent chaos.
“If a former President can be taken without due process, what stops them from doing the same to any other Filipino?” Vice Pres. Duterte said.
Amid Pres. Bongbong Marcos being criticized over the arrest of Duterte, his sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, led a Senate investigation on Duterte’s arrest. She stressed that it seems like FPRRD has no country of his own as he was surrendered to the foreign hands.