Sara: Family no longer expects Duterte’s return

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February 26, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The family of former president Rodrigo Duterte no longer expects to bring him back to the country from The Hague where he is detained while awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC), his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte said yesterday.

“We are no longer looking at the chances of (the former president) coming home. We’re no longer talking about that,” Duterte said in an interview in Iligan City.

After five months of delay, the confirmation of charges against the former president formally opened at the Courtroom 1 of the ICC headquarters in The Hague on Monday.

“If you see his statement in court, he told the court that ‘I have accepted that it is possible that I will die here in the ICC prison.’ It was stated in his statement to the court that he would not attend the hearings on confirmation of charges,” she added.

According to the Vice President, she did not watch the confirmation of charges against her father.

“I have no feelings or reaction to that,” she replied, when asked about her sentiments about the ICC hearings.

She noted that the ICC did not allow her family to see in person the family patriarch during the hearings.

“I would have liked to be able to meet and talk to former president Rodrigo Duterte. This is the confirmation of the charges period. But the family’s applications were not approved this week,” the Vice President said.

She also thanked her father’s defense team led by Nicholas Kaufman.

“I am thankful to Atty. Kaufman and the entire legal defense team of former president Rodrigo Duterte on his case at the ICC, his preparations and how they showed confidence that there is no evidence to prove that former president… committed the alleged crimes,” she added.

2028 bid not linked to impeachment

Also in the interview, Duterte denied insinuations that she made an early declaration of her 2028 presidential bid to forestall impeachment proceedings against her.

“Last year, the impeachment was already there but I haven’t made a decision yet. If the impeachment doesn’t proceed this year, 2026, next year, I’m sure, the impeachment will still be there because that is the plan of the administration. What the administration is doing is silencing all the people who are saying the truth about their shortcomings and their lack of action on the problems of the people,” Duterte said.

“Yesterday, tomorrow, today, the impeachment is there. The impeachment was not a factor in my decision,” Duterte maintained. She had earlier promised to reveal her 2028 plans by December.

She said that many politicians would rather not make early declaration of their candidacy for fear of being subjected to black propaganda. Long before she made her intentions known, Duterte said she already been parrying attacks from political rivals.

“So why would I delay saying I’m running if I’ve already made a decision?”

She said that after finalizing her decision to run for president in the fourth quarter of 2025, she “started to pray, reflect and meditate.”

Duterte said her legal team is expected to meet after the four verified complaints against her were forwarded to the committee on justice for proper deliberation. The justice committee will begin its hearings on March 2.

The four separate impeachment complaints were filed by the Makabayan bloc, civil society group Tindig Pilipinas, church and religious groups led by lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan and lawyer Nathaniel Cabrera.

‘Good luck’

On President Marcos and Naga City Mayor and former vice president Leni Robredo crossing paths again – this time at Malacañang on Monday – Duterte said she could only wish them good luck.

Robredo was at Malacañang for the launch of a program expanding the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). Days earlier, Marcos met her in Naga City during his inspection of a flood control project. During his Naga City visit, Marcos turned over P500 million to fund the retrofitting and modernization of the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum, named after Robredo’s late husband.

In 2016, Marcos lost to Robredo in the vice presidential race. Robredo ran for president in 2022 but lost to Marcos, who had Duterte for running mate. Robredo had to fend off massive mudslinging from supporters of Marcos and Duterte during the 2022 campaign period.

While Marcos repeatedly dismissed political alliance with Robredo during his visit to Naga City, the Chief Executive in a media interview showed his pink socks.

Meanwhile, Duterte again refused to give details on her hand-picked running mate for 2028.

“He hasn’t made a decision yet. So we need to protect him. Because he might be subjected to attacks and his name will be ruined,” Duterte added.