VP Duterte says her father ‘can no longer be brought back to PH’

Vice President Sara Duterte admitted on Thursday, March 20, 2025, that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, might not be able to come home while in the custody of the International Criminal Court as she asked people to “move on” and decide what can be done after what happened. (File Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday admitted the possibility that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, might not be able to return home while in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Duterte made this statement when asked what she feels about National Security Adviser Eduardo Año — who formerly served under her father’s Cabinet — and his alleged role in having him arrested upon his return home from Hong Kong.

“Honestly, I don’t feel anything at all. I’m not angry, I’m not disappointed. Nothing at all — because it’s pointless to harbor any feelings about what happened. It can’t be undone. President Duterte can no longer be brought back to the Philippines,” she said in Filipino in a virtual press conference.

“So what we should do as a country is move on from what happened. The question is, what will we do moving forward as a nation and as a people? Whether we get angry or not, our anger will lead us nowhere,” she said.

According to the vice president, any ill feelings would not help her as she does not expect the current administration to hold accountable government officials who sent her father to the ICC.

“So, we should move forward from what happened, and the country should decide, the people should decide where we are heading based on what has happened,” she said.

The ICC  has custody of Duterte after he was arrested and sent to The Hague for crimes against humanity he allegedly committed during his administration’s bloody war against drugs which left thousands dead.