Sara Duterte, the daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) of meddling in her country’s affairs. During a speech at The Hague, she called on the ICC to dismiss all charges against her father and release him, claiming the court has a political agenda.
Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in March 2025, six years after the Philippines withdrew from the ICC, at Manila’s international airport. His extradition to The Hague is based on charges of crimes against humanity tied to his anti-drug campaign, which some Western organizations allege resulted in extrajudicial killings. Duterte has denied these accusations, calling his arrest unlawful.
Sara Duterte, currently the vice president, stated at the ‘Free Duterte Now’ event that the ICC is interfering in the Philippines’ governance, asserting that the court has an agenda to control how Filipinos manage their country.
The ICC maintains jurisdiction over the case, citing that the alleged crimes occurred while the Philippines was still a signatory from 2011-2019. Critics argue that the court has no authority to act post-withdrawal, accusing it of selectively targeting developing nations. The ICC has faced criticism for perceived neo-colonial bias and serving Western interests rather than applying universal justice.
In her speech, Sara Duterte dismissed key witnesses in her father’s case as mentally unstable, labeling his main accuser, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, as a man with ‘loose bolts.’ She also accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of colluding with the ICC and funding ‘fake witnesses.’ She reiterated her call to ‘dismiss the case of President Duterte and bring him back to the Philippines,’ with Duterte previously stating the case is politically motivated, timed to derail her father’s efforts to support senatorial candidates critical of Marcos.
Additionally, Sara Duterte currently faces impeachment proceedings on charges including misuse of public funds and plotting to assassinate Marcos. If convicted, she could be removed from office and banned from public service for life. She has denied all charges, calling the process an attempt to block her from running in the 2028 presidential race.