VICE President Sara Duterte said her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, spent a generally “okay” Christmas in The Hague, Netherlands, despite being held at a detention facility of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Vice President shared the update to Davao reporters during her visit to this year’s Pasko Pahalipay sa Taal on December 25, a long-running Christmas tradition of the Duterte family held at their ancestral home in Central Park Subdivision, Bangkal, Davao City.
The annual gift-giving event has been a fixture in the city’s Christmas celebrations since her father’s time as mayor.
“Okay lang naman yung Christmas niya kahapon, December 24. Nandoon si Kitty, yung kapatid namin, at siya ang nagbisita, kanina din pinakita ko yung video call ni Kitty para masabi niya sa inyo kung ano yung message ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ngayong Pasko,” Duterte said, noting that one of her siblings was able to personally visit the former president at the detention facility.
She clarified that while she was not physically present in The Hague, communication within the family has remained constant, allowing them to stay connected despite the distance and circumstances.
Duterte also spoke candidly about the emotional toll of her father’s detention, while expressing gratitude for the opportunity to maintain regular communication with him.
“Okay naman. Madaming araw na nagkausap kami ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. At masaya ako dahil nabigyan kami ng ganyan na pagkakataon,” she said.
“Malungkot lang dahil siya ay nasa detensyon, pero masaya ako dahil nabigyan kami ng ganyan na pagkakataon, mag-ama, na mag-one-on-one at one hour and a half every day para magkausap.”
According to the Vice President, these extended conversations have helped their family cope, particularly during the holiday season, which she described as emotionally challenging given that this is the first Christmas her father has spent outside the Philippines.
The Pasko Pahalipay sa Taal event drew a massive turnout, underscoring the continued public interest in the Duterte family despite the former president’s ongoing legal situation abroad. Based on estimates from the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), around 45,000 beneficiaries were successfully served during the activity held along Ulas Road leading to Taal Street in NHA Bangkal.
Vice President Duterte was seen personally greeting supporters and beneficiaries, continuing a tradition that began during her father’s years as Davao City mayor. Each beneficiary received food packs containing rice and canned goods, as well as a P300 gift certificate and P200 in cash.
The gathering maintained a festive atmosphere, with supporters and attendees expressing solidarity with the Duterte family.
To recall, this year marks the first Christmas that the former leader spent outside the Philippines following his arrest in March in connection with the case filed against him before the international court. The proceedings in The Hague place the former leader at the center of an international legal process that could have far-reaching implications, not only for his own legacy but also for the Philippines’ relationship with international justice mechanisms. DEF