Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks Before the Filipino Community in Australia
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President urged the Filipinos in Melbourne to talk to the government in Australia over the case of former Pres. Duterte.
Vice Pres. Duterte has frequently taken abroad travels in the past few weeks. In less than a month, she was able to get to four (4) countries abroad — Doha, Qatar; The Hague, Netherlands; Malaysia; and Australia.
Following the reports that the Vice President is in Australia, Malacañang was asked about the possible violation that Duterte may be committing with her frequent travels abroad. Her foreign trips came often after former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was flown to The Hague, Netherlands.
According to the Palace, it is the choice of Vice Pres. Duterte if she wants to keep herself busy by traveling abroad. Press undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro also said that the people are seeing what the elected official is doing. According to the Palace official, the Vice President may be committing a violation against her obligation to the Filipino people with her frequent trips abroad.
In Australia, part of the itinerary of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was to join the “Free Duterte Now” rally conducted by the Filipino supporters of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte abroad. The Vice President talked in front of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Australia.
Based on a report on Manila Standard, in Australia, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte called on the Filipinos to convince the government in Australia to look into the case of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. In her almost 2-hour speech, the Vice President asked the OFWs to urge the Australian government to probe the alleged “injustice” done by the International Criminal Court against her father.
“You convince the government of Australia — because Australia is a member of the ICC — to look into the case of President Duterte and the injustice that he is receiving, that he has been getting from the ICC,” she said.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is currently detained under the ICC in The Hague. He is faced with an allegation of crimes against humanity over his administration’s war on drugs campaign. It was last March 11 when he was arrested by the Philippine authorities upon his arrival from Hong Kong.
“You talk to the government of Australia. Come together, sit down, come up with a position paper,” the Vice President added.
Based on the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte convinced the Duterte supporters in Australia to bring the case of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to the local Australian media and to their social media accounts so it will get to the global community. Australia is one of the country members of the ICC.
Former Pres. Duterte is detained in The Hague for more than 100 days now. Previously, as Duterte marked his 100th day in ICC detention, his eldest son, Paolo, said the pain is immeasurable for him as a son. All the former President’s children have been to The Hague to visit their father.
Amid the issue, Malacañang recently claimed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos is open to PH rejoining the ICC.