Vice President Sara Duterte spent her 47th birthday calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and relevant Philippine courts to bring her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, back home to the Philippines.

The Vice President attended the “ICC, send Duterte home” rally at the Laan van Reagan en Gorbatjov, The Hague with European-based Filipino supporters of the Duterte family on Saturday, May 31.

At the gathering, she asked supporters to tirelessly call on the Philippine government and the ICC to bring her father back to the Philippines and for local Philippine courts to review the decision to send him to The Hague.

“Dahil di ba sila yung nagsasabi lahat may human rights. So, dapat ibigay din nila yung human rights ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na ibalik sa Pilipinas at i-check ng ating mga lokal na korte kung karapat-dapat ba na siya ay ipadala dito sa the Hague (They always talk about human rights. So, they should also give former president Rodrigo Duterte his human rights and bring him back to the Philippines and for the local courts to check if he should rightfully be sent to The Hague),” she addressed the crowd that gathered there while standing on a stool atop the makeshift stage.

Most of the Filipino supporters came from all over Europe, including from the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, and France.

With the Vice President were her younger brother, Davao City Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian Duterte and other Duterte allies—Senators Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla, Senator-elect Rodante Marcoleta, and lawyers Harry Roque and Vic Rodriguez.

The Vice President, who was celebrating her 47th birthday on Saturday was serenaded with a birthday song by their supporters, followed by the “Pilipinas, Duterte Pa Rin” as the closing song.

During her speech, the younger Duterte argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over her father’s case.

“Kaya dapat po hindi natin tigilan ang panawagan natin sa ICC to send him home. At huwag natin tigilan ang panawagan natin doon sa loob ng Pilipinas na lahat sa ating gobyerno ay dapat gawin nila, bring him home (We should not tire of calling on the ICC to send him home. Let us not let up on our call there in the Philippines that everyone in our government must bring him home),” she said.

“Hindi po dapat ipikit ng korte ang kanilang mga mata na sila ay walang jurisdiction sa kaso (The court shouldn’t close its eyes that they do not have jurisdiction on the case),” she added.

The Vice President explained that the ICC began its preliminary investigation into her father’s crimes against humanity case two years after the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute.

It was in 2021 when the ICC prosecutor was allowed to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration’s brutal war on drugs. This was two years after the March 2019 withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute took effect.

The Supreme Court and the ICC, however, ruled that the ICC has jurisdiction on killings that happened while the country was still a member of the Rome Statute, which meant until March 2019.

“Hindi pupwede na kung kailan mo gusto ikaw mag-imbestiga ay ganon ang gagawin mo dahil hindi matatapos eh. Kaya wala na silang jurisdiction sa kaso na ito. Huwag nilang ipikit ang kanilang mata sa pag-kidnap sa ating dating pangulo, sa katotohanang wala silang jurisdiction (You cannot investigate when you want to investigate because that’ll be never ending. That’s why they don’t have jurisdiction on this case. They shouldn’t close their eyes to the kidnapping of our former president, to the truth that they don’t have jurisdiction),” the younger Duterte said.

“Kaya kailangan huwag nating tigilan, paulit-paulit ang panawagan natin: ‘ICC, send him home.’ Iyon lang hinihingi nating lahat, mga Pilipino sa buong mundo, ibalik nyo sa amin ang dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte (We shouldn’t give up, we will continue to call: ‘ICC, send him home.’ That’s what we’re all asking for, Filipinos around the world, give our former president Rodrigo Duterte back to us),” she added.

As the Vice President thanked their supporters for spending the day with her and wishing her well, she also shared her birthday wishes for them—good health and for them to receive the same blessings they are sending her way.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa kasiyahan ninyo sa araw na ito dahil meron tayong sine-celebrate pero nalulungkot tayo na hindi natin kasama si dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte (I am thankful for your happiness this day because we are celebrating something but I am also said because we cannot be with former president Rodrigo Duterte),” she told the crowd.

“Sana ay sa susunod na May 31 ay makita ninyong naglalakad na siya, nakalaya at maka-attend ng mga birthday at celebration at makabalik na siya sa Davao City bilang mayor ng siyudad ng Davao (I hope next May 31, you can see him walking around, free, and able to attend birthdays and celebrations and return to Davao City to be the mayor of the City of Davao),” she added.

Despite being detained in The Hague, the elder Duterte won as Davao City mayor in the recently held local elections.

Her father’s detention meant not only the lack of freedom but for the first time in his life, the former chief executive would have to fend for himself.

This, the Vice President, shared is something that her father was having a hard time with as all his life, there was always someone who would take care of his needs.

In fact, the younger Duterte and her mother and the former president’s ex-wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, were lent two nail clippers from the prison guard to cut his father’s nails. They took each of his hand to cut his nails.

She said it was the first time in her life that she did this task for her father.

“Buong buhay nya, manicurista ang nag gugupit ng kuko nya (Throughout his life, a manicurist would cut his nails),” she added.

The Vice President, who will be back in the Philippines on June 4, also said that her father does not know how to cook, sweep the floor, or even wash his own clothes.

The elder Duterte, who had been detained in The Hague since March 12, will face the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I for the confirmation of charges hearing on Sept. 23.