Vice President Sara Duterte turned personal as she gave a message to the Philippine National Police Academy’s (PNPA) Sinaglawin Class of 2025 during its 46th commencement exercises.

Vice President Sara Duterte (MB File Photo)

In her message, the official asked the newly graduates to never betray a fellow Filipino.

“Sa inyong kagitingan at kahandaan na tunay na magsilbi, sana ay lagi ninyong piliin ang tama. Huwag sana ninyong hayaan na mabahiran ang inyong propesyon ng mali katulad ng pagkakanulo sa isang Pilipino ng kanyang kapwa Pilipino (In your valor and readiness to truly serve, may you always choose the right path. May you not allow your profession to be tainted by a mistake like the betrayal of a fellow Filipino by another Filipino),” she said.

“Walang kapatawaran ang pagsuko at pagpapakulong sa mga dayuhan ng isang Pilipinong naglingkod ng tapat sa ating bayan (The surrender and imprisonment to foreigners of a Filipino who served our country with honesty is unforgivable),” she added.

Though she made no mention of names, the Vice President has often criticized the Marcos administration’s decision to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant on her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The former chief executive is currently under the custody of the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands.

“As you fly, fight, and win, you will be the patriots who will stand for the truth, die for what is right, and protect the nation from the corrupt, the power-hungry, and the ones who destroy our intrinsic Filipino values of 'prinsipyo at integridad (principles and integrity)’,” she said.

“May you also be reminded that there will be no honor for those will betray the interest of Filipinos and the country,” Duterte added.

While the path to law enforcement is “rough, demanding, and may even be extremely perilous,” the Vice President stressed that this is a path to meaningfully serve the country and demonstrate a sense of patriotism that is profoundly rooted on what is right for the Filipinos and the Philippines.”

As a law enforcers, she said that the graduates will be given a choice to uphold and protect the interest of Filipinos “above all else.”

“May you always be reminded of your courage and the incredible strength, will, and determination that made you the men and women that you are today,” she added.

2025, 2028 polls

Meanwhile, in an ambush interview in Carcar, Cebu on Sunday, April 27, Duterte said that her father’s arrest was politically motivated and even admitted that her name is in the list of those the government plans to have arrested.

“Clearly, walang ibang…kundi tungkol sa politika, dahil sa midterm elections at tungkol sa 2028 elections. Wala namang ibang rason na they will... Kidnap o pagkuha o pagdukot sa ating dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte dito sa

bansa natin at dalhin nila doon sa ibang bansa upang maipakulong sa mga dayuhan kundi iyan lang (there is no…it’s only about politics, because of the midterm elections and about the 2028 elections. There is no other reason that they will… kidnap our former president Rodrigo Duterte from the country and be brought in another country to be imprisoned by foreigners except that),” she said in Bisaya that was translated by her office.

The official also confirmed that she and many others are in the list of those who will be arrested through an ICC warrant.

“Nasa listahan ako. Marami. Marami kami na nasa listahan ng ICC (I am on the list. There are plenty of us on the ICC list),” Duterte said, noting that Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Bong Go are also on the list and their arrest might come before hers.