Vice President Sara Duterte. Screengrab from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook
MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday said her father’s arrest and detention at the Hague, Netherlands, was due to him being a “staunch critic” of the Marcos administration, who wanted to get rid of those who are part of the opposition.
Speaking during an ambush interview at the sidelines of the Free Duterte Now rally in the Hague, the Vice President claimed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) was being “used” by the government to keep former President Rodrigo Duterte out of the country as a way of getting rid of its critics.
“The whole world should see the collusion between the ICC and the administration of President Marcos,” Duterte said in Filipino. “The ICC is letting itself be used by the Marcos administration, while Marcos uses the ICC to separate, jail, or have [the former president] disappear from our country.”
“[I]f you remember, before he was brought here at the Hague, former President Duterte was the foremost staunch critic of the Marcos administration, and for them, they do not want to have an opposition, or those who are against them,” added the Vice President.
Duterte recalled that the former president previously called out Mr. Marcos over his alleged drug addiction and had also criticized the government for the supposed blank items in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
READ: Marcos shoots back: Ex-president Duterte takes fentanyl
“Former President Rodrigo Duterte had previously questioned the mental capacity of President Marcos because of his alleged drug addiction and cocaine use,” Duterte said.
“When former President Rodrigo Duterte questioned the blanks in the budget that was signed by the members of the bicameral committee and [President Marcos], they intensified their attempts to make sure that the former president would no longer be able to speak out,” she added.
READ: Marcos slams Duterte ‘lies’ on items in budget law
Duterte said such actions “stifle dissent” and go against the meaning of democracy, which she said is about letting the public be able to voice out their opinions regarding the government.
“They do not understand that the essence of democracy is to allow… for there to be an opposition or for our countrymen to be able to say what they think the administration is doing wrong,” said the vice president. /mr
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
Great Job & the Team @ INQUIRER.net Source link for sharing this story.
