Sara Duterte laments govt’s ‘slow action’ to help Pinoys affected by Iran-Israel conflict

Vice President Sara Duterte has expressed concern regarding the supposed “slow action” of the Marcos administration in providing assistance to Filipinos in the Middle East affected by the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel.

Duterte said this in response to the Philippine government move to extend financial support to witnesses who may need to fly to The Hague, Netherlands to testify in the trial of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

The Vice President herself is currently in the Netherlands to visit her father. She said she will stay there until July 23. 

“Well, nakakalungkot dahil unang una, sinasabi nila walang ebidensya pero mayroon sila ngayong mga witnesses na kaya naman pala nilang bayaran ‘yung pagbibiyahe,” Duterte said. 

(Well, it's sad because first of all, the government is saying that there is no evidence but they now have witnesses whose air fare they are willing to pay for.) 

“Pero nakakalungkot kasi sobrang bagal ng galaw nila para sa ating mga kababayan na naiipit sa kaguluhan sa Iran at sa Israel. Kaya nakikita natin eh, at nakikita ng taumbayan nasaan ba talaga ‘yung priorities ng administration na ito,” she added. 

(It's sad because their action is slow when it comes to our countrymen who are stuck amid the Iran-Israel conflict. So we and the people can see where the priorities of this administration really lie.) 

Duterte further accused the Marcos administration of just prioritizing politics despite the tensions in the Middle East. 

“Apparently, puro pulitika lang ‘yung ano…paninira sa pulitika lang ‘yung kanilang prayoridad at hindi yung mga mamamayan,” she said. 

(Apparently, their priority is only politics and not the citizens.) 

On July 6, there were 25 Filipino caregivers from Israel who returned safely to the Philippines and reunited with their families after availing of the government’s voluntary repatriation program. 

The caregivers are part of the 39th batch of OFWs repatriated from Israel under the Marcos administration’s voluntary repatriation initiative. A total of 72 Filipinos have returned from Israel since tensions flared in the region.

Since October 2023, a total of 1,405 Filipino migrant workers have been repatriated under Marcos’ directive, as the government continues to prioritize the protection and reintegration of overseas Filipinos. 

Drug war evidence

The Vice President also alleged that trump up evidence will be presented against her father before the International Criminal Court (ICC), considering the previous statement of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla that drug war evidence have been erased. 

“Ah gawa-gawa. Gawa-gawa talaga na ebidensya at ang ibang ebidensya nila, meron din tayong ebidensya na kinuha ‘yun by force or intimidation or harassments of individuals. So makikita din natin ‘yun soon, very soon,” Sara Duterte said. 

(That’s fabricated evidence and we also have evidence to prove that those were taken by force or intimidation or harassment of individuals. So we will see that soon, very soon.)

GMA Integrated News has reached out to Malacañang for its side on the issues raised by the Vice President.

The Duterte patriarch was arrested in Manila by local authorities on March 11, based on a warrant of arrest issued by the ICC.

He is currently detained in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague for charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration’s war on drugs. — RF, GMA Integrated News