Palace on country agreeing to host Duterte for interim release: Frequent travels of VP Sara has paid off
No comment on Duterte charges
Vice President Sara Duterte and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Manila Bulletin/RTVM)
"Nagbunga naman po yata ang madalas niyang pagbibiyahe (Her frequent travels have paid off)."
This was how Malacañang reacted to the revelation of Vice President Sara Duterte that one country had agreed to host her father, detained former president Rodrigo Duterte, for his interim release from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"So, kung iyan ay good news po sa kanila at kung ano po ang magiging desisyon ng ICC, tatanggapin naman po iyan ng pamahalaang Marcos Jr. (So, if that is good news to them, and whatever the ICC decision may be, the Marcos Jr. administration will accept it)," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
During her trip in Japan over the weekend, the Vice President disclosed that there is at least one country that agreed to host her father if the ICC pre-trial chamber will approve his interim release application.
Duterte, however, could not disclose which country agreed to host her father. She only clarified that it is not Japan.
The Vice President has been constantly traveling from one country to another, tagging them as personal trips. In her trips, she usually meets with the Filipino community and attends rallies intended for her father's release.
No reaction over murder charges vs FPRRD
The Palace official also refused to make a comment on the latest development on the case against humanity the former president is facing at the ICC.
Castro reiterated that the Marcos administration has nothing to do with the investigation and proceedings before the ICC.
"No reaction. The Philippine government has nothing to do with the investigation, with the hearing or proceedings before the ICC," the Palace official said when sought for a comment.
"So, hayaan po natin ang mga prosecutors doon at ang mga witnesses na sila ang gumanap ng kanilang katungkulan (So, let us allow the prosecutors there and the witnesses to carry out their duties)," she added.
Duterte was formally charged with three counts of murder before the ICC. The ICC has made public for the first time the charge sheet against the former president, wherein the ICC’s prosecution recommended the filing of three counts of crimes against humanity of murder involving 78 victims of his bloody anti-crimes campaign.