Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday slammed the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as a form of “oppression and persecution.”
The Vice President, who arrived from Hong Kong Tuesday afternoon, proceeded to the Villamor Air Base where her father was but was barred entry.
“The Philippines is like a doormat for other countries now, not just the ICC,” the Vice President said in a briefing outside the air base.
“Where else can you find a sovereign country willingly surrendering its citizen to foreigners? It is a shame for us Filipinos,” she added.
The Vice President said she will follow her father in The Hague.
“I will go there and talk to our lawyers as to what our next steps will be,” she said.
Earlier in the day, the Vice President in a statement said her father was being denied of his fundamental rights.
“Since he was taken this (Tuesday) 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.”
“As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice—this is oppression and persecution,” she added.
Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest daughter, Veronica also posted Instagram stories showing her father being checked by a doctor and resting on a couch while receiving oxygen at the air base lounge.
“They are keeping him confined here and not allowing us to bring him to the hospital. He is getting weaker by the minute,” Veronica said.