Vice President Sara Duterte said her family members should be spared from impeachment-related controversies because they are private citizens.

In an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, on May 5, Duterte defended the privacy of her family members amid the ongoing impeachment controversy.

“I think it's unfair dahil hindi naman sila (because they are not the) Vice President at hindi naman sila ini-impeach (they are not the ones being impeached),” Duterte said.

“Tulad ng mga asawa at mga anak din ng mga congressman, they have the right to privacy as ordinary individuals and private citizens (Just like the spouses and children of congressmen, they also have the right to privacy as ordinary individuals and private citizens),” she added.

Meanwhile, Duterte said she remains calm despite the political tensions surrounding the impeachment complaints filed against her.

“Okay lang ako, wala naman akong problema (I’m okay, I don’t have any problems),” Duterte said, adding that the real problems in life are serious illness without access to medicine and death.

“Ang problema lang, siguro para sa akin ha, wala ko lang sa ibang tao, para sa akin ang pinaka problema talaga ay ‘yung magkakasakit ka na walang gamot at ‘yung patay ka na (The only real problem, at least for me — I can’t speak for others — is when you get sick and there’s no cure, or when you die),” Duterte said.

“Yun talaga ‘yung problema dahil ‘yung patay ka na, ending na yun, ‘yung magkakasakit ka na walang gamot, papunta na yun sa ending (That’s the real problem because death is the ending, and sickness without a cure is already leading toward that ending),” she added.

Duterte is visiting her father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD), who is currently in detention facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Vice President disclosed that she has deliberately avoided discussing impeachment developments and political controversies with the former president, who is currently under detention.

“Hindi ko binanggit sa kanya ang impeachment at hindi ko binanggit sa kanya ang mga nangyari sa House of Representatives, so hindi niya alam na merong pangalawang posibleng impeachment na mangyayari (I did not mention the impeachment to him, nor did I tell him about what happened in the House of Representatives, so he doesn’t know that there is a second possible impeachment that may take place),” Duterte said.

She explained that she did not want to add stress to her 81-year-old father, saying such issues are not appropriate for someone his age.

“Kasi sa tingin ko, hindi na niya kailangang malaman ang mga ganyan na klase na bad news kasi wala din naman ‘yung value sa kanya. Nandoon naman siya sa loob [at] ang mangyayari lang dun ay mag-iisip siya tapos mag-overthink siya… siya lang mag-isa (I think he doesn’t need to know that kind of bad news because it holds no value for him anyway. He is already inside, and what will only happen is that he will think about it, then overthink it, all by himself),” she added.

Meanwhile, Duterte criticized lawmakers and administration allies, alleging corruption and abuse among some politicians while reiterating her gratitude to supporters who continue to publicly oppose the impeachment complaints.