Vice President Sara Duterte revealed that a foreign country has agreed to host her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, should the International Criminal Court (ICC) approve his petition for interim release. The former president is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands, while facing trial for crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
Speaking before Filipinos in Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan, on September 20, the Vice President said she personally negotiated with foreign contacts to secure a country willing to receive her father, noting she could not rely on anyone in the Philippines. While she did not disclose the country’s name, she clarified that it was not Japan. Australia had earlier declined to host Duterte.
“It took us some time, but we finally found a country that said, ‘we will accept him,’” VP Duterte told supporters, adding that she reached out to acquaintances she made during her time as Education secretary and Vice President in her regional engagements across Southeast Asia.
She emphasized that her father had no intention of fleeing or hiding abroad, insisting that he only wanted to return to Davao City. “He wants to go home because he wants to die in the Philippines. That is his wish,” she said.
The revelation comes as the ICC continues to deliberate on Duterte’s request for interim release, filed in June. His lawyers argued that the 80-year-old former president posed no flight risk and should not remain in detention while awaiting trial.
However, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor opposed the plea, citing concerns that releasing Duterte could endanger witnesses, compromise the investigation, or allow undue interference in the proceedings. Two Philippine-based organizations supporting victims of the drug war also rejected the request, warning that Duterte’s release could threaten the safety of families and witnesses.
Former President Duterte was detained in March 2025 and is set to face trial over thousands of deaths linked to his anti-drug campaign. Official police figures place the number of killings at around 6,000, while human rights groups estimate the death toll could reach up to 30,000, including vigilante-style executions.
The ICC has yet to issue a ruling on Duterte’s motion for interim release, but VP Sara’s confirmation underscores the international implications of the case and the political sensitivities surrounding her father’s fate.