VICE President Sara Duterte admitted on July 12, 2025, uncertainty over whether the International Criminal Court (ICC) will issue a health bulletin on her father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD), who is currently under detention in The Hague, Netherlands.
Speaking to reporters outside ICC headquarters, the Vice President shared personal observations about her father’s health condition during recent updates from their family and legal counsel, noting that the former president appears to have lost a significant amount of weight.
“Hindi ko po alam kung maglalabas ang ICC ng health bulletin. Pwede nating itanong sa lawyer kung puwedeng i-request 'yan sa registry ng ICC (I don’t know if the ICC will issue a health bulletin. We can ask the lawyer if that can be requested from the ICC registry),” Duterte said. “Pero sa nabanggit ko last time, sobrang payat na niya. Hindi ko pa siya nakita na ganito kapayat — maliban sa mga litrato niya noong binata pa siya (But as I mentioned before, he has become extremely thin. I’ve never seen him this thin — except in photos from when he was still a young man),” she added.
She said that even her mother noticed the change.
Despite the weight loss, however, she noted that her father’s facial features remain largely unaffected by sagging skin or deep wrinkles, which are typical signs of aging.
“Hindi bumagsak ‘yung mukha niya. Iyong wrinkles niya, mas marami pa siguro ako. Dito lang talaga meron. For an 80-year-old, hindi malalim (His face hasn’t sagged. I probably have more wrinkles than he does. He only has some here. For an 80-year-old, they’re not deep),” she said.
The vice president quipped that perhaps there are skin treatments inside the facility.
“Glowing pero payat (He’s glowing but thin),” she said, adding that her father’s weight might be under medical control due to his diabetes.
The former president, who turned 80 last March, has been held in ICC custody as part of ongoing proceedings related to his alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s war on drugs.
On July 10, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah declined to comment on Duterte’s specific condition but confirmed that the court “adopts all necessary measures to ensure the health and well-being of all detainees.” He cited privacy and security considerations as reasons for withholding detailed updates.
Vice President Duterte also shared that her father’s medical officer has so far reported no urgent medical concerns. She said the weight loss might be due to a lack of appetite or dietary adjustments within the facility.
As of this writing, no official photos or health bulletins have been released by the ICC.