Panelo Says Rodrigo Duterte’s Death in Detention may lead to VP Sara becoming president

Atty. Salvador Panelo Cites PH History on Claim over Dutertes

PANELO – The lawyer claimed that if former President Rodrigo Duterte faces death during his detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Vice Pres. Sara Duterte may be president.

Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands under the custody of the International Criminal Court. The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Duterte over the accusations surrounding his administration’s war on drugs.

Former Pres. Duterte is now under a regular detention after several days of staying at the hospital wing of the Hague Penitentiary Institution. According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, the former Chief Executive is “feeling better now” and the detention facility also serves him rice on top of his Dutch food as he has requested.

According to VP Sara, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte wants his supply of Coke Zero as well as his personal clothes. The Vice President admitted that they can’t really stop the former President from his soda intake.

Duterte was arrested last March 11 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He just arrived from Hong Kong when the authorities of the Philippine National Police (PNP) implemented the arrest on him at NAIA.

Senator Bong Go insisted that former Pres. Duterte has lots of illnesses already. He was with a doctor of the former President and they also brought an ambulance. However, the unexpected turn of events last March 11 ended with the former President being flown to The Hague, Netherlands via Dubai.

The arrest of former Pres. Duterte is surrounded by a lot of issues and questions. There are questions on whether or not there was due process in the implementation of the arrest. Many Duterte supporters are calling and praying for the homecoming of the former President.

Recently, Atty. Salvador Panelo expressed his claim that if former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte dies during his ICC detention, it may result to the presidency of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on a report on Inquirer, the former presidential Spokesman recalled the case of the late former presidents Cory Aquino and Noynoy Aquino.

According to Atty. Panelo, the history of the Philippines has a record that “when a prominent person dies, like the president, it results in the rise of a relative or a child”. The former presidential Spokesman pointed out the case of the late former Pres. Cory Aquino and her son, the late former Pres. Noynoy Aquino.

“Remember when Cory died? PNoy then had no ambition of becoming president, and then suddenly, when his mother died, he became president. This is what we see here,” Panelo said.

Previously, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte also claimed that his arrest can lead to VP Sara’s presidency. Today, former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is celebrating his 80th birthday and aside from VP Sara, his partner, Honeylet Avanceña, and their daughter, Kitty, are in The Hague for his birthday.