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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara says FPRRD 'okay' but still expects 'competency' hearing if he's unfit for ICC trial

VP Sara says FPRRD 'okay' but still expects 'competency' hearing if he's unfit for ICC trial

Published Sep 16, 2025 01:04 pm
Vice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte (Screengrab from Bong Go, Veronica Duterte Facebook pages)
Vice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte (Screengrab from Bong Go, Veronica Duterte Facebook pages)
Despite saying that former president Rodrigo Duterte is “okay,” Vice President Sara Duterte believes there will be a competency hearing for her father to determine if he is fit to stand trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The official disclosed this on Tuesday, Sept. 16, during an interview after the budget deliberations for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in the House of Representatives.

“He's okay. Nag-usap kami about politics. Nag-usap kami about flood control. Nag-usap kami about love life nya (We talked about politics. We talked the flood control. We talked about his love life),” the official said of the phone conversation she had with her father last Friday.

This, however, came after Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, the former president’s lead counsel, asked the ICC for the indefinite adjournment of the confirmation of charges hearing because of the elder Duterte’s deteriorating cognitive health.

Kaufman claimed that the ex-chief executive is having a hard time remembering names, places, and events.

“Sa tingin ko naman, merong mangyayaring hearing sa competency. So, antayin na lang natin yun mga experts (I think there will be a competency hearing. So, let’s just wait for the experts),” the Vice President said.

“Both sides, sa ICC, sa prosecution, sa defense side. And I'm sure maglalabasan yung mga experts para sabihin kung ano yung problema (Both sides, the ICC, prosecution, and the defense side, I’m sure the experts will come out to identify the problem),” she added.

The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I (PTC I) postponed the Sept. 23 confirmation of charges hearing after Kaufman’s claims about the former president’s health condition.

The younger Duterte refused to share comments on whether she thinks her father is fit to stand trial, insisting that the public should wait for the results of the competency hearing.

“I’m sure masasabi ng mga experts kung ano iyong nakikita nila (I’m sure the experts will share their opinions),” she insisted.

The confirmation of charges hearing is a critical pre-trial phase in the former president’s case as it would have determined if his case will go to trial or not.

The Duterte patriarch is facing the charges of crimes against humanity of murder for the thousands killed during his administration’s war on drugs campaign.

Related Tags

VP Sara Duterte ICC Rodrigo Duterte competency hearing
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