Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed that former president Rodrigo Duterte remains in good condition while detained in The Netherlands, despite questions raised about his health and memory.
In an interview at the House of Representatives, the vice president said she spoke with her father last Friday. Their discussion touched on politics, flood control, and aspects of his personal life.
Sara Duterte declined to elaborate on whether the former chief executive’s memory remained sharp.
Her statement came after Duterte’s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, argued that the former president was unfit to stand trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Kaufman said Duterte could not properly face proceedings because of his health condition.
The vice president noted that a hearing on Duterte’s competency is scheduled, where both prosecution and defense will present findings from medical experts. She said it would be best to wait for the results before drawing conclusions.
“It is better to wait for what the experts at the ICC will say regarding the issue,” Sara Duterte said.
Rodrigo Duterte, who is facing charges before the ICC over his administration’s anti-drug campaign, is currently detained in The Netherlands. Reports suggesting that he may be suffering from memory problems have circulated in recent weeks, raising questions about whether he can participate in the proceedings.
