Vice President Sara Duterte is seeking to join former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal counsel as a means of securing access to him at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility, according to former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
Roque explained that family visitations are subject to strict restrictions, which is why VP Sara is requesting to be part of her father’s legal team—granting her access that is otherwise limited for family members.
However, he clarified that this request is not intended for her to serve as legal counsel before the ICC, but merely to facilitate access to the detained former President.
“Visits to detainees are limited to one hour and are subject to approval, even for family members,” Roque noted.
Earlier, Roque criticized the lack of access given to Duterte’s family, calling it a “travesty of justice.” He lamented that it took two days before they were allowed to see the former President.
“This is unheard of even in a country like the Philippines, where a family member—a daughter, no less—was not allowed access to her father. This is a very sad day for international justice,” Roque said.