Duterte death in detention may lead to VP Sara presidency – Panelo

Vice President Sara Duterte arrives to address people gathering outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on March 14, 2025, as former President Rodrigo Duterte appears for the first time before the ICC to face crimes against humanity charges. —Photo by Nicolas Tucat | Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — If former President Rodrigo Duterte should die in detention at The Hague, it could catapult Vice President Sara Duterte into the presidency.

Salvador Panelo, former presidential spokesperson and chief legal counsel, made this point at a media forum on Thursday.

“If you look at our history, when a prominent person dies, like the president, it results in the rise of a relative or a child,” he said in Filipino.

He pointed out the case of two late presidents — Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino III.

“Remember when Cory died? PNoy [the son’s popular monicker] then had no ambition of becoming president, and then suddenly, when his mother died, he became president. This is what we see here,” Panelo added.

READ: VP Sara warns dad: ‘You could suffer Ninoy Aquino’s fate if you return’

Panelo said a similar situation would be possible as Duterte’s detention had already led to what he said were massive protests.

The 79-year-old former president is at the ICC Detention Centre, facing crimes against humanity raps due to his drug war.

READ: Highlights: Rodrigo Duterte’s ICC pre-trial

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s initial appearance took place on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 14:00 hours (The Hague local time), before Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court. —Photo ©ICC-CPI

“If the government does not take proper steps to react to the Filipino people, history will be repeated. We will again have a regime change. We will again have a political upheaval — which we don’t want at all,” he said

When asked if he was referring to a Sara Duterte presidency, Panelo said: “Actually, even if the [former] president doesn’t die – and we hope he doesn’t — it will be her who will become president.”

“The real motive there [filing the ex-president’s ICC case] is to destroy VP Sara and her number one supporter and influencer — the father. They [other would-be candidates] will have no chance if Inday Sara runs for president in 2028,” he added.