Yesterday, in a press conference at The Hague, Vice President Sara Duterte said:
“Sa totoo lang, wala talaga akong nararamdaman… hindi ako galit, hindi ako disappointed. Hindi na mababalik si dating Pangulong Duterte sa Pilipinas. So what we should do is move on from what happened.”
That statement was a surprise, though perhaps not entirely. The vice president’s recent remarks have grown increasingly subdued, lacking the sharpness of her previous statements. As the second week of her father’s stay abroad unfolds, this appears to be her current stance.
Whether this position will hold remains uncertain. Could she have a hidden strategy for securing her father’s release? So far, that doesn’t seem likely. Their first lawyer, Salvador Medialdea, had to be taken away by ambulance. Their second, the controversial yet seemingly ineffective Harry Roque, remains in the spotlight but without any real legal role, especially since returning to the Philippines could put him at risk of arrest. Given those circumstances, his return seems unlikely. That leaves Sen. Robinhood Padilla, and, well, the less said about him, the better.
For now, Sara Duterte stands alone, at least until the arrival of Nicholas Kaufman, the British-Israeli lawyer representing her father before the International Criminal Court (ICC). She also has the symbolic backing of the thousands of Filipinos rallying in support. But how long will their prayers last? Former President Rodrigo Duterte was never exactly a defender of the Church. These are difficult times.
Years ago, when Sara Duterte first made national headlines for physically confronting a local official accused of corruption, I had a bit of a crush on her. She certainly made an impression. Back then, she sported a no-nonsense, cropped haircut, a stark contrast to her polished vice presidential look today. She even managed to get an apology from the man she struck. I wonder what became of him. Hopefully, he’s doing fine. But that has always been the question in Duterte’s Davao.
What happens to those who challenge the president or, more recently, the vice president? That’s at the heart of the ICC case. Were people really killed with the tacit approval of the former president? Rumors suggest that Vice President Duterte herself may soon be under scrutiny, along with Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is reportedly in hiding.
