Former President Rodrigo Duterte wants to go home “as soon as possible,” according to his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, after nearly a month of detention at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague.
Following an hour-long phone call with her father on Friday, the vice president shared that the 79-year-old leader repeatedly expressed a desire to return to the Philippines, citing his declining health and mortality.
Duterte to ICC: Let me die in my country
Sara said Duterte was emotional and direct during their conversation. The former president told her he was old, could die anytime, and simply wanted to die in his homeland.
She assured him that their legal team, led by British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, is working daily on the petition for interim release. A lawyer reportedly visits Duterte every day to explain the progress of his case.
Kaufman, who was appointed as Duterte’s lead counsel, confirmed they plan to file for interim release before the International Criminal Court. If granted, Duterte may be released to another ICC member country rather than the Philippines. Sara said the legal team would evaluate the best strategy if that scenario arises.
Supporters cheer outside Hague prison
Sara said her father could hear chants from his supporters who had gathered outside the detention center. He asked her to extend his gratitude, and delivered a message he wanted shared with the world.
Asked whether the statement was an admission of responsibility for his controversial war on drugs, Sara declined to interpret it.
She added that her father seemed to anticipate multiple interpretations of his words.
Duterte is currently facing charges of crimes against humanity related to the thousands of deaths linked to his administration’s anti-drug campaign. The ICC is probing whether extrajudicial killings occurred under official policy.
No Filipino lawyer on core team, says Kaufman
Contrary to Sara’s earlier statement, Kaufman clarified that no Filipino lawyer is on Duterte’s core legal team in The Hague.
Kaufman also confirmed that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is facing an arrest warrant from the House of Representatives, is not part of the defense team.
Kaufman is expected to release the full roster of Duterte’s defense team within days.
Jaja has a degree in journalism and took classes in international law and business communication. Her career spans roles at prominent international media outlets, including International Business Times, Celebeat and Delightful Philippines. As a news editor, Jaja covered a wide range of beats, including legal, business, economy, cryptocurrency, personal finance, gaming, technology, and entertainment.