VP Sara Duterte (FB)
DAVAO CITY – Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Veronica Duterte recently visited former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at The Hague in the Netherlands, fulfilling his special request to see his three children together.
In a recent Facebook live video posted by Alvin & Tourism, Vice President Duterte confirmed that her elder brother, Rep. Duterte, and their youngest sibling, Veronica, are already in the Netherlands, at the call of their father.
Veronica said that her father specifically requested to be with them. She added that they are now waiting for acting Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte to arrive and complete the family gathering, a moment their father is looking forward to.
“It was Papa’s request to see us. We are just waiting for Mayor Sebastian Duterte to arrive, and hopefully, he can join us soon,” Veronica said, recounting the warm and candid atmosphere during their visit at the International Criminal Court detention facility.
Veronica said Rep. Duterte was seated on the floor, massaging the former Chief Executive’s feet, something that surprised her, given his public image.
Vice President Duterte, meanwhile, was updating their father on political matters.
“People see Manong Pulong as tough, but he really has a big heart for the family. He even took a crash course in massage just to help Papa feel better,” she said. "Vice President updated him on political issues, including reports on alleged ‘ghost projects.’
Veronica said while former President Duterte engaged with interest about political matters, discussions remained limited. She emphasized that they are not allowed to discuss the matter further while inside the detention facility.
Former President Duterte’s youngest daughter said their father eventually steered the conversation back to family matters, issuing reminders and personal instructions for each of them, particularly to Rep. Duterte as the eldest son.
“The most important thing he always emphasizes is to take care of each other,” Veronica said. “He tells us that family is everything, and that he reminds us to stay close and live by the lessons he taught us," Veronica said.
Veronica also revealed lighthearted moments. She joked about skipping a bath just to accompany their father, quipping that she wanted him to feel that they were “in the same boat.”
Vice President Duterte said they intend to hand over what she described as the symbolic “stone of Darna.”