VICE President Sara Duterte has denied claims that former President Rodrigo Duterte (FPRRD) sought asylum in China.
“Wala, wala. I was there in Hong Kong. Wala siyang kausap from the Chinese government. And, in fact, sabi niya, kung maalala niyo, 4 p.m. ‘yung flight niya sa Cathy Pacific, di ba? Sabi niya, agahan natin ng 7 a.m. para makabalik na ako sa Pilipinas,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters outside the Villamor Airbase on Tuesday evening, March 11, 2025.
(No, no. I was there in Hong Kong. He had no contact with the Chinese government. And, in fact, he said, if you remember, his flight with Cathy Pacific was at 4 p.m., right? He said, let’s make it earlier at 7 a.m. so I can return to the Philippines.)
“That was, ano, willingly surrendering himself to the jurisdiction of Philippine authorities, not the ICC (International Criminal Court),” she added.
Duterte was taken into custody by the elements of the International Criminal Police Organization Manila (Interpol) with the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP) upon his arrival in the country from Hong Kong on Tuesday morning, March 11, on the basis of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in relation to its ongoing investigation on the alleged crime against humanity in the country during the implementation of the latter’s bloody drug war.
He was brought to the Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICC headquarters is located, aboard a chartered jet at approximately last night.
Duterte was identified as a close friend of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Meanwhile, VP Duterte said there is no communication yet between her and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in relation to FPRRD’s arrest.
VP Duterte said there is no point in talking to someone who "cannot fulfill his promises."
“Very much pamumulitika ito… Ano pa bang aasahan? ‘Di ba nagbigay nga siya ng statement na P20 per kilo na bigas? So, ano pa ba ang aasahan natin sa mga statements ‘no? Nakita naman natin kung ano ‘yung ginagawa nila, ginigipit nila, hindi na tayo member ng ICC at noong fi-nile ‘yung ICC complaint out of time na sila. Ni-raise natin ‘yan ilang beses, wala silang jurisdiction,” VP Duterte said.
(This is very much politicking... What else can we expect? Didn't he even give a statement about rice being P20 per kilo? So, what else can we expect from those statements? We've seen what they’re doing, they’re putting pressure on us, we’re no longer a member of the ICC, and when the ICC complaint was filed, it was already beyond the time limit. We raised that issue several times, but they have no jurisdiction.)
“Pero tayo lang sa buong mundo, ang bayan o ang bansa na nag-cooperate sa ICC. Para bang para tayong doormat -- the Philippines is like a doormat for other ccountries not just the ICC,kung sino man ‘yung sumasamantala sa ating bayan. Nakakalungkot. Nakakalungkot dahil saan ka ba nakahanap ng bayan na ‘yung kanyang citizen mismo ibibigay niya sa dayuhan. Nakakahiya bilang isang Pilipino,” she added.
(But we are the only country in the world that cooperates with the ICC. It's as if we’re a doormat—the Philippines is like a doormat for other countries, not just the ICC, for anyone who takes advantage of our nation. It's sad. It's sad because where else can you find a country where its own citizens will hand them over to foreigners? It's embarrassing as a Filipino.)
VP Duterte departed on Wednesday morning for Amsterdam, the Netherlands to follow her father. (TPM/VoxPop Philippines)