VICE President Sara Duterte has claimed that the arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is part of a broader effort to weaken the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) ahead of the upcoming senatorial elections.
In a live-streamed media interview via the Office of the Vice President Facebook on Tuesday night, March 11, Duterte, who was reportedly denied entry to the Villamor Airbase where her father was detained, warned that his legal troubles could significantly impact the party’s political standing.
She argued that the arrest, executed under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was not an isolated incident but part of a larger strategy to destabilize PDP-Laban.
“... and all because, mukhang matatalo sila sa midterm elections (They may possibly lose in the midterm elections)," Duterte said.
On Wednesday, March 12, Sara Duterte announced she would travel to The Hague, Netherlands, to be with her father as he faces charges at the ICC. The former president is accused of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s controversial war on drugs from 2016 to 2022.
According to an advisory from the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Duterte left the Philippines at 7:40 a.m. on Emirates flight EK 337 bound for Amsterdam.
"Further details regarding the Vice President's trip will be provided as necessary," the OVP said.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte applied for a travel clearance for a “personal trip” to the Netherlands and Japan from March 12 to April 15. The request was approved, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed.
Duterte also condemned her father’s arrest, calling it an act of “oppression and persecution.”
“Today, our own government has surrendered a Filipino citizen—even a former President—to foreign powers. This is a blatant affront to our sovereignty and an insult to every Filipino who believes in our nation’s independence,” she said in a statement.
“Worse, 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. As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice—this is oppression and persecution,” she added.
The former president was placed aboard a chartered Gulfstream G550 aircraft, tail number RP-C5219, on Tuesday night, just hours after his arrest at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). He had just returned from Hong Kong, where he had attended engagements with overseas Filipino workers.
The arrest was carried out based on a warrant issued by the ICC through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). The aircraft is expected to arrive at Rotterdam Airport in the Netherlands by 2 p.m. Wednesday.
At 79, Duterte could become the first former Asian head of state to stand trial at the ICC.
The ICC is determining whether Duterte can be held accountable for the systematic and widespread violence during his anti-drug campaign. The investigation continues as international legal proceedings unfold. DEF