Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on Dad Rodrigo’s Interim Release
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President confirmed that a “third country” committed to host the interim release of her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
In September, it was announced that the International Criminal Court has ruled to postpone the confirmation of charges hearing of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte before the ICC. The ruling came after his lawyer claimed that the former Chief Executive is allegedly suffering from a ‘cognitive impairment’.
According to British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, the lead counsel of Duterte, the former President is allegedly “not fit to stand trial”. The 80-year-old former President is detained under the custody of the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands since March.
It was in August when the camp of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte renewed their call for his interim release. They initially applied for his interim release in June but asked the court to hold off in making a decision as they await the documents and information that will support their application.
It was also in August when all four (4) Duterte siblings were allowed to visit former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte inside the ICC detention facility for the first time. According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, it was really the request of the former Chief Executive. She stressed that their father was happy.
Following the postponement of the confirmation of charges hearing of former Pres. Duterte, ICC lawyer Nicholas Kaufman expressed his hope that the Marcos Jr. administration will allow the former President’s return to the country for his interim release. He claimed that the former Chief Executive is struggling to remember events, places, or even close members of his family.
However, the top official in Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, only asked ‘who is Kaufman?’. Recently, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte confirmed that a “third country” has committed to host the interim release of her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
“Kung makikita niyo sa ICC website, meron ng third country doon. Meron ng isang bansa na nagsabi na ‘Okay lang,’ na ‘Dito ninyo ilagay si Dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte’,” the Vice President said.
According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, it took them longer to file for an interim release as they had to talk to people and asked help since she allegedly cannot trust anyone in the Philippines. Based on a report on GMA News, the Vice President said she relied on the people she met outside the Philippines.
“Medyo natagalan ang pag-file namin ng interim release dahil kinausap pa namin at naghanap pa ako ng tutulong sa akin dahil wala akong mapagkakatiwalaan doon sa Pilipinas. Ginamit ko ang aking mga nakilala sa labas ng Pilipinas dahil sa aking trabaho, nakiusap ako sa kanila na tulungan ninyo kami,” she said.
Based on the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte admitted that negotiating with a country is not easy. According to her, it is because of the prayers of their supporters that “good news” happened.
Recently, amid the issues in the Philippines, Vice Pres. Duterte claimed that former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is “frustrated” that he can’t do anything for the country now.