Duterte’s daughter claims ICC had no jurisdiction to detain ex-Philippines leader
(MENAFN) Sara Duterte, Vice President of the Philippines and daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) for acting beyond its authority in arresting her father. In an interview with RT on Wednesday, she accused the ICC of prioritizing political agendas over justice after the court denied her father’s request for interim release.
Rodrigo Duterte was detained in March 2025 at Manila’s international airport and subsequently extradited to The Hague on charges related to crimes against humanity stemming from his controversial anti-drug campaign. The ICC claims jurisdiction on the basis that the Philippines was a member of the court from 2011 until its withdrawal in 2019. Duterte has consistently rejected the allegations and described his arrest as unlawful, equating it to kidnapping.
Sara Duterte questioned the court’s authority, highlighting that the Philippines formally left the ICC in 2019 and the investigation began two years after that. She also challenged the severity of the charges, stating the number of alleged killings doesn’t meet the criteria for crimes against humanity.
She lamented her father’s harsh detention conditions, noting he has been held for over 100 days without bail, is elderly, frail, and in poor health. Sara said, “He has no appetite, suffers from the cold, and yearns for family and familiar surroundings.”
The vice president asserted the case against Duterte is politically motivated, especially since he was gearing up to back senatorial candidates opposing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She claims the arrest aims to weaken opposition forces.
Sara herself is currently facing impeachment, which she believes is a tactic to prevent her from running in the 2028 presidential election. She accused President Marcos of attempting to maintain power indefinitely for himself and his family.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
