Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday claimed the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an indication of the Philippine government’s willingness to abandon its citizens.
Sara described her father’s arrest over alleged crimes against humanity linked to his controversial war on drugs as a “betrayal” of the country’s sovereignty and national dignity.
“Today, our own government has surrendered a Filipino citizen—even a former president at that—to foreign powers,” Sara said.
“This is a blatant affront to our sovereignty and an insult to every Filipino who believes in our nation’s independence,” she added.
The Vice President further asserted that not only had Duterte been “surrendered” to a foreign institution, but he was also being denied his fundamental right to due process.
“Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte is being denied his fundamental rights. Since he was taken this morning, he has not been brought before any competent judicial authority to assert his rights and to allow him to avail of reliefs provided by law,” Sara said.
“As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice—this is oppression and persecution,” she added.
According to the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Sara arrived in the Philippines from Hong Kong at 3:21 p.m. today “following a personal trip.”