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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara departs for The Hague to help her father after arrest

VP Sara departs for The Hague to help her father after arrest

Published Mar 12, 2025 02:41 am

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed that Vice President Sara Duterte left Manila on Wednesday morning, March 12, for The Hague, Netherlands, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is headquartered.

VPSD_PRRD3.jpgVice President Sara Duterte and former president Rodrigo Duterte (Photo from the House of Representatives)

“Vice President Sara Z. Duterte departed from Manila this morning, 12 March 2025, at approximately 7:40 AM (Philippine Standard Time), via Emirates flight no. EK 337 bound for Amsterdam,” the OVP said in a statement.

“Further details regarding the Vice President's trip will be provided as necessary,” Duterte’s office added.

Travel authority

However, in a press briefing, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said they were not aware if the Vice President was cleared to travel.

"Hindi po namin alam kung nakapag-clearance siya. Madalas naman po ata siyang umalis nang walang clearance (We have no information if she was cleared. I think she often travels without clearance anyway)," she said.

Castro clarified in a statement late Wednesday afternoon that the Office of the President has indeed cleared Duterte's travel on Tuesday evening.

"Contrary to the earlier statement, the Office of the President issued a travel authority for VP Sara as of last night 8 p.m. to travel to the Netherlands, among others," she said.

Phone call

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday night, the Vice President said she was able to talk to her father via a phone call before his chartered plane bound for the Netherlands departed from the Villamor Airbase.

Aside from legal matters, Duterte said she advised her father not to accept food and water from anyone.

She shared during the interview that they made arrangements to go to The Hague since she has to speak with her father’s lawyers there.

“Ah, yes. Mayroon na pong arrangements kasi kailangan kong kausapin iyong mga abogado doon. Kung saan man siya dalhin pupunta kami, ako (we already have arrangements because I have to talk to the lawyers there. We will go to wherever he will be brought),” she said.

Amsterdam, Netherlands’ capital, is less than an hour's drive to The Hague, where former president Rodrigo Duterte is expected to stand trial before the ICC on charges of crimes against humanity.

The ICC-issued warrant of arrest was facilitated by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday, March 11.

The elder Duterte left Manila at 11:03 p.m. and will make a stopover in Dubai before proceeding to the Netherlands.

Block voting

The Vice President linked the ICC arrest of her father to the upcoming senatorial race in May, noting the “snowballing” of support to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan's (PDP-Laban) 9 candidates, whom they both endorsed.

“All because mukhang matatalo sila sa (it seems they will lose in the) midterm elections dahil ang lakas ng votes rates sa PDP-Laban (because of the strong vote rates in favor of PDP),” she claimed.

“At mag-ingat kayo (And be careful) ha, I warned you about the budget. I'm warning all of you about election cheating,” she added.

Related Tags

VP Sara Duterte International Criminal Court The Hague Rodrigo Duterte
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