Vice President Sara Duterte Denies Involvement in Drug War, Prepared to Face Philippine Courts Amid ICC Probe
Vice President Sara Duterte has denied any involvement in her father’s controversial war on drugs, despite being named as a respondent in an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation. In a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 23, Duterte expressed her readiness to face the accusations only in Philippine courts, arguing that foreign judges have no jurisdiction over her.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte (Presidential Photo)
Duterte, who previously served as Vice Mayor and Mayor of Davao City, emphasized that her name was never linked to the alleged Davao Death Squad, the group behind numerous extrajudicial killings in her hometown.
After winning as Vice President, however, she was suddenly implicated in the ICC probe by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who claimed that evidence points to her allowing the Davao Death Squad to operate during her mayoral term. Despite denying any involvement, Duterte reiterated her willingness to face the accusations but only before Filipino judges.
She emphasized that she refuses to be part of a process that would embarrass the country and insult Philippine judges, courts, and the justice system.
Duterte’s statement came amidst claims by Trillanes that the ICC had gathered enough evidence to issue a warrant of arrest against her father soon. Despite speculation about the Philippines rejoining the ICC, President Marcos has asserted that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the country and will not cooperate with its investigation.
