VP Sara’s birthday wishes: Dad Duterte home, wins for PDP Laban

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said she has two wishes for her upcoming birthday: to have her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, back in the Philippines; and for the PDP Laban senatorial slate to win in Election 2025.

The Vice President, who is turning 47 years old on May 31, said that she hopes that the 10 senatorial candidates of PDP Laban, plus its two guest candidates—Senator Imee Marcos and Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar—will win in the midterm elections. 

The two incumbent lawmakers were recently adopted by PDP Laban as it seeks more allies who would “protect the Vice President against impeachment,” as the party described its goal, once the trial begins at the Senate.

Duterte said that when she recently talked with her father, she gave him “realistic numbers” on the situation of the midterm elections, naming more than two candidates in the PDP Laban senatorial slate who will likely win in the polls. 

“Sinabi niya, well, kung ‘yan ‘yung realistic, sabi niya, iiwan na lang natin sa Diyos ‘yung miracles. At sinabi niya, since tapos na ‘yung kampanya at eleksyon, kung pwede ko ba daw tutukan ‘yung kaso naman niya na sinabi ko naman sa kanya na gagawin ko ‘yun,” she said in a press conference in Davao City. 

(He told me that if that's the realistic picture, then let’s leave the miracles up to God. And since the campaign and elections are over, he also asked me if I could focus already on his case, which I told him that I will.) 

The former president is currently detained by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, for alleged crimes against humanity.

For her second wish, the Vice President said she wants to see him released. She added that she will be celebrating her birthday in the Dutch city.

She said that she will also join supporters in the “ICC, Send Him Home” rally in The Hague on May 31. 

“Pinromise ko sa mga magulang ko na mag-birthday ako na nandyan silang dalawa. So pupunta kami ng mother ko para mag-celebrate with former President Duterte, and then pagkatapos namin pumasok doon sa loob, I can do a gathering, a discussion, a forum with mga kababayan nating OFWs doon sa The Hague,” VP Sara said. 

(I promised my parents that I will celebrate my birthday with both of them. So my mother and I will go there to celebrate with former President Duterte, and then after we visit him, I can do a gathering, a discussion, a forum with our OFWs in The Hague.) 

Davao City mayoral race

Further, the Vice President also explained that her dad’s lawyers are now discussing the next steps should Rodrigo Duterte win as mayor in Davao City—where he is leading closest rival Karlo Alexei Nograles by a landslide.

“‘Yun ay pinag-uusapan namin ng kanyang ICC lawyer at ng kanyang Philippine lawyer kung paano siya maka-oath as a winner ng mayoral contest dito sa Davao City,” she said. 

(We are discussing with his ICC lawyer and his Philippine lawyer how he can take his oath of office after possibly winning the mayoral race here in Davao City.) 

“Sabi ng lawyer doon sa ICC, once we get the proclamation papers, pag-uusapan namin ulit kung paano makapag-oath si dating Pangulo Rodrigo Duterte. We have until the day after proclamation until…noon of June 30 para siya maka-oath,” she added. 

(The ICC lawyer said that once we get the proclamation papers, we will discuss again how former President Rodrigo Duterte can take his oath. He has to take an oath between the day after proclamation until noon of June 30.) 

If her father gets elected again as mayor, Sara said that he will “definitely” be an absentee mayor, thus the acting mayor will be the vice mayor. 

The elder Duterte's running mate in the 2025 midterm elections is his son, incumbent city mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.

Sara said there should be no legal repercussions for an absentee mayor. 

“Wala namang legal questions diyan eh dahil covered ‘yan ng batas natin eh. Covered ‘yan ng local government code. Kapag wala ang mayor, automatic ang vice mayor ang nagiging acting mayor. So, walang butas sa batas diyan. Klaro ang ating local government code,” she explained. 

(There are no legal questions because that is covered by our law, the local government code. When the mayor is absent, the vice mayor automatically becomes the acting mayor. So, there is no loophole in that law. Our local government code is clear.) 

The Local Government Code states that the vice governor or vice mayor will assume the duties of the governor or mayor in case of such a vacancy.

And since her father is detained in The Hague, Sara also said that he was not able to vote because he was not registered as an absentee voter. 

“Ang pagkakaintindi ko, sinubukan nung lawyers niya na magpaalam sa Comelec na kung pwede bumoto si dating Pangulong Duterte outside of the absentee voting law kasi ‘yun lang ‘yung paraan na pwede siyang mag-boto but hindi siya naka-register doon. So, ang pagkakaintindi ko, wala siya. Unfortunately, hindi niya na-exercise ‘yung right to vote niya this time and I am sure that he is sad about that,” she said. 

(From what I understand, his lawyers tried to ask the Comelec if he can vote outside of the absentee voting law because that is the only way he can vote, but he was not registered there. Unfortunately, he was not able to exercise his right to vote this time and I am sure that he is sad about that.) 

Political dynasties

Sara also told reporters that she will support a bill against political dynasties, if there will be one. She even quipped that she will write the bill herself if given a chance to do so, admitting that she is an “expert” when it comes to political dynasties. 

She also reiterated her call for Filipinos to vote for candidates based on their capacity to serve rather than their family name.

“I am campaigning about us selecting people automatically based on their family affiliation. We should ask the person first. Okay, Duterte ka, ano ba ang abilidad mo? Ano ba ang kapasidad mo? Okay, Marcos ka, ano ba ang abilidad mo? Ano ba ang kapasidad mo? Hindi automatic ‘yun na parang tipong pag-anak, asawa, kapatid, pamangkin. Automatic na,” she said. 

(Yes you’re a Duterte or a Marcos, but what’s your ability? What’s your capacity? Voting for them is not automatic just because they are a relative, a spouse, or sibling.) 

“Absent a law, that is the most that we can do as voters—question the capacity and the competence of the candidate,” she stressed. 

But despite her sentiments about political dynasties, Sara said she is seeing potential in her half sister, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, in joining public service. 

“Natural sa kanya at 21 years old, na nakita ko ‘yung wala sa akin noong 21 years old ako,” the Vice President said. 

(It’s natural for her at the age of 21. I saw in her what I didn’t see in myself when I was 21.) 

“Merong resistance sa akin noon. But sa kanya, tanggap niya kaagad, diretso na, ‘Ito ‘yung likely na magiging buhay ko. I will become a public person.’ Not necessarily a government official siguro, but alam niya na meron siyang public persona,” she added.

(There was a resistance from me back then. But Kitty accepted her fate immediately. She was direct that this will likely be her life, that she will become a public person. Not necessarily a government official, but she knows that she has a public persona.) — BM, GMA Integrated News

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