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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider No way ICC will 'let go' of case vs ex-president Duterte — VP Sara

No way ICC will 'let go' of case vs ex-president Duterte — VP Sara

Vice President Duterte says legal team sees no scenario where ICC dismisses case against former president

Published May 5, 2026 05:23 am
Vice President Sara Duterte says there is “no way” the International Criminal Court (ICC) will drop the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, as their legal team shifts its focus to preparing for a full trial. (Screenshot from OVP video)
Vice President Sara Duterte says there is “no way” the International Criminal Court (ICC) will drop the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, as their legal team shifts its focus to preparing for a full trial. (Screenshot from OVP video)
Vice President Sara Duterte said the case filed against her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, before the International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to proceed to full trial, acknowledging that there appears to be no path toward its dismissal.
“We don’t see any way that the ICC will let go of the case,” Duterte said in a media interview on May 4. “This will really go into trial, and the best way to move forward is to prepare for trial,” she added.
The case involves the former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) and allegations tied to his controversial anti-drug campaign.
Duterte camp accepts developments
Duterte said her legal team has already discussed the matter extensively and has accepted the situation, choosing instead to focus on building a defense for the proceedings ahead.
“Well, I have accepted it as it is,” the Vice President said when asked to comment on the confirmation of charges and the court’s jurisdiction over the case against her father.
READ: 
https://mb.com.ph/2026/04/23/icc-confirms-charges-vs-duterte-orders-trial-to-proceed
“Napag-usapan na rin naman namin iyon ng mga abogado (We have already discussed that with the lawyers). We don’t see any way that the ICC will let go of the case of President Duterte, since isa na lang ito sa dalawa na natitirang kaso sa ICC (since this is one of only two remaining ICC cases), so we don’t think they will let this go,” she said. “This will really go into trial, and the best way to move forward is to prepare for trial,” she added.
PRRD is ‘well and healthy’
Sharing details of her recent visit, the Vice President said her father appears to be in good health, noting that he remains active despite ongoing legal scrutiny.
“He looks well. He looks healthy, and wala naman siyang problema (he doesn’t have any problems),” Duterte said when asked about the former president’s condition.
She also reiterated that their camp continues to hope for his eventual return to the Philippines, while acknowledging the financial and emotional toll of the ongoing case.
“We always pray for that. Halos araw-araw ang dasal namin na sana makauwi na si President Duterte. Sobrang magastos (Almost every day, we pray that President Duterte can finally come home. It’s very costly),” she added.
Her remarks signal a shift toward trial preparation as the Duterte camp braces for a prolonged legal battle on the international stage. 
READ: 
https://mb.com.ph/2026/04/23/icc-confirms-charges-vs-duterte-orders-trial-to-proceed

Related Tags

ICC Duterte trial Rodrigo Duterte case update Sara Duterte ICC war on drugs case international court Philippines
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