VP Sara Duterte Urges ICC to Expedite Father's Trial Amid Health Concerns

VICE-PRESIDENT (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday appealed to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to expedite the trial of her father former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, saying his continued detention has become increasingly concerning because of his age and health. In a video interview released by her office and recorded in The Hague, Netherlands, Ms. Duterte said her family has repeatedly asked the tribunal to move the proceedings forward, noting that the former President has already spent more than a year in detention. “We wanted an earlier trial date since he’s been here one year and four months, and nothing has happened,” she said. “We can only request and plead with them to speed up the trial because he is already 81 years old and he cannot afford to stay in detention for three, four, five years more,” she added. The ICC has scheduled the start of Mr. Duterte’s trial for Nov. 30 after confirming charges of crimes against humanity stemming from killings during his administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign. The tribunal earlier said the schedule would provide both the prosecution and defense enough time to complete pretrial preparations. Ms. Duterte said her family hopes the ICC would uphold the presumption of innocence and conduct the proceedings without unnecessary delay. “We hope that they will always be for the accused since there is a presumption of innocence always for an accused,” she said. “And that they will speed up the trial.” She also disclosed that her father is dealing with a skin condition while in detention. “I visited him Monday, Tuesday and today… and he’s doing OK except that he has a skin problem right now,” she said. “I understand there’s a cream applied on the skin boil, skin rash. I really do not know what it is.” The Vice-President reiterated her family’s opposition to Mr. Duterte’s transfer to ICC custody, saying they remain angered by what they consider his unlawful removal from the Philippines. “The moment that he was taken, he was kidnapped from the Philippines, and we are still angry now,” she said. “But we try to support the process since he is already under the ICC jurisdiction.” Ms. Duterte also acknowledged the possibility that her father could die while in detention because of his age, saying he had already left instructions should that happen. “Of course, as a Filipino, as a daughter, we want him to die on Philippine soil,” she said. Mr. Duterte was transferred to ICC custody on March 2025 after Philippine authorities enforced an arrest warrant issued by the tribunal in connection with its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed during his anti-drug campaign. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking