Sara Duterte calls DILG visit to family home 'child abuse'

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday called the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) visit to her children’s home an act of “child abuse” intended to instill fear, despite the agency knowing her whereabouts on the day the grave threats arrest warrant against her was issued. Duterte previously expressed fears for her safety, citing police presence at the residence of her mother and children. Following this, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla admitted that they already knew Duterte’s location on the night her arrest warrant was issued, but chose not to enforce it. Duterte said Remulla’s statement seemed to be an admission of state surveillance activities against her, adding that children should not be dragged into “political harassment” aimed at her. “Approaching or going to the place where my mother and children are—despite the DILG Secretary and the police admitting that they knew where I was through their surveillance activities—is a serious matter,” Duterte said in a statement. “Especially when minors are involved or affected. Children should not be used, intimidated, or dragged into harassment. This is child abuse,” she added. For his part, Remulla pointed out that there has been a permanent police presence outside Duterte’s residence in Davao for security purposes ever since she became vice president. He emphasized that police did not enter the premises at any time. “There is a permanent police presence outside their Davao residence for security purposes. I have the same outside my residence in Cavite,” Remulla told GMA News Online in a message. “They have been there ever since she became VP. They did not even enter the premises at any time,” he added. Duterte recalled a 2024 request to former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner, asking authorities not to enforce any action wherever her children and mother are located. “Because my security is linked to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in accordance with the constitutional line of succession, I deemed it best to inform former Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner of a few important requests,” Duterte said, “Above all, I requested that my mother and children be respected and protected, and that they not be involved or intimidated in whatever action is taken against me,” she added. In her statement, Duterte attached a text message exchange between herself and Brawner. Brawner assured Duterte not to worry, stating that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would not allow anything to happen to her or to former President Rodrigo Duterte. “If any action will be taken, it should be done outside your residence,” Brawner said in his message. The Vice President replied that this was the most important point, as she did not want anything to happen in the presence of her mother and children. “The important thing is item No. 2, just not wherever my children and mother are. Just tell everyone to look for me outside,” Duterte answered. Brawner responded, “Yes, Ma’am.” Duterte appealed to the public, saying that a government that does not respect and protect the welfare of the youth shows a lack of compassion for the nation's future. The DILG had previously answered the Vice President’s accusation of political harassment over tracking her whereabouts, stating that knowing Duterte’s location is neither “illegal” nor “unusual,” as it is part of the agency’s duty. "She should blame the people around her. They informed us where she was when the warrant was issued. It’s our duty to do our best to know her location. That was not illegal nor unusual," Remulla told GMA News Online. Duterte was issued an arrest warrant on Friday after a Quezon City court found probable cause to charge her with three counts of grave threats. The charges stem from Duterte’s public statements in 2024 that she had hired an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez if an alleged plot to kill her succeeded. Duterte surrendered on Saturday and posted a P360,000 bail that same day. — RSJ, GMA News