VP Sara Duterte says dad Rodrigo to stay at ICC detention’s hospital facility

THE HAGUE – Vice President Sara Duterte said her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is at the hospital facility of the Hague Penitentiary Institution.

In a brief media interview following her scheduled visit on Tuesday, Sara said her father is “comfortable” inside the facility despite the cold temperatures in The Hague.

“Hindi siya nire-release ng doctor (The doctor did not release him),” Sara said when asked whether her father needed to come to the clinic from his detention room for regular health monitoring.

His doctors have already taken note of the list of his medicines, and that they already have Duterte’s records.

“Binigyan ng copy and records ang mga doctors doon sa loob. And they have taken note [of] the list of medicines. Alam naman ng mga doctor yun sa loob,” 

The Vice President clarified she has not seen the quarters but relayed her father’s description of the place where he is staying.

“Ang sinabi niya sa akin, ‘Para akong nasa hotel except hindi ako makalabas (He told me he feels like in a hotel, except that he can't go out),’” she told GMA Integrated News.

Sara also shared that her dad is “charming everyone inside.”

“I have to tell you: he is charming everyone inside. It’s his style, eh. He’s very friendly with people inside. Mayroon na silang banter (They already have a banter),” Sara shared. 

GMA Integrated News clarified if the people with whom Duterte is having banter are detainees or detention center staff.

“Hindi sila nagkikita ng mga kapwa detainee niya kasi may kanya kanya silang kwarto. One detainee lang per room. Yun ang pagkakaalam ko ha. Hindi ko lang alam kung they see each other somewhere sa hallway or saan sila kumakain,” she said.

(The detainees don't see each other. Each has his room, one detainee per room, that's what I know.)

Duterte has already spent nearly a week at the detention center. Since then, he has only been visited by Sara, former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, and lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.

“Sabi niya, wala rin naman daw siyang ginagawa sa labas kasi hindi pa naman daw siya mayor. So, might as well tumira na raw muna siya sa loob (He said he's not doing anything outside, so might as well love inside),” Sara said when asked if it has already sunk in her father about his detention.

“He said he doesn’t regret anything he did sa pagtatrabaho niya para sa bayan (working for the country). At nakita naman daw ng bayan kung ano yung resulta ng kanyang serbisyo (The people how I served them),” Sara said. —LDF, GMA Intergrated News