Vice President Sara Duterte fiercely condemned the ongoing detention of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, during a fiery speech in The Hague, Netherlands on July 29, 2026. 

Speaking before a crowd just miles away from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Vice President openly expressed her fury over the arrest of the former leader, who faces grave charges of crimes against humanity stemming from his administration's controversial war on drugs.

Duterte did not hold back her emotions, framing the arrest as an outright violation of Philippine sovereignty and an attack on her family. 

“Ako, anak, kapamilya, syempre magagalit ako sa ginawa sa aking ama at sa isang Pilipino na ninakaw, kinuha, kinidnap doon sa Pilipinas para ihatid diyan sa ICC,” she declared, directly challenging the international court's jurisdiction over her father.

The Malacañang Palace immediately countered the Vice President’s accusations on Thursday, firmly deflecting any blame away from the current administration. 

Palace press officer Claire Castro clarified that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had no hand in the elder Duterte's apprehension, emphasizing that the chief executive is merely upholding international legal frameworks and statutory obligations.

Castro took a direct swipe at the former president, asserting that his current legal predicament is entirely of his own making. 

“Hindi ito kasalanan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., tumutupad lang ang Pangulo sa batas. Kung meron dapat sisihin, walang iba kundi ang kanyang sariling ama. Dahil sa mga pag-amin nito na siya mismo ay pumatay at nagpapatay,” Castro stated on July 30, shifting the accountability back to the former leader's public admissions.

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