After almost a month of attending to the needs of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, in The Hague, Vice President Sara Duterte returned to the Philippines on Sunday, April 6.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) announced Monday past midnight that Duterte landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 9:56 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, via Emirates Airlines flight no. EK 334.
“The Vice President is expected to address any pertinent matters in the coming days,” it said.
She arrived at The Hague in The Netherlands on March 12, a day after her father was arrested and turned over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the crimes against humanity related to his administration’s bloody drug war.
Prior to her return to the Philippines, the Vice President expressed her willingness to attend future hearings regarding the arrest of her father.
Speaking to reporters at The Hague, she said Senator Imee Marcos invited her to the second hearing but was unable to attend due to her busy schedule and the six-hour time difference.
“Kung meron namang future hearings na meron silang tanong sa akin, tulad ng kung anong nangyari sa Hong Kong or anong nangyari pagdating ni [dating] pangulong Duterte sa Manila, willing naman po ako sumagot,” she said.
The Senate hearing, led by Senator Marcos, the sister of President Marcos, is investigating the circumstances surrounding former President Duterte’s trip to Hong Kong and his controversial arrest upon arrival in Manila on March 11.
Despite the rift between the country’s top two leaders, Vice President Duterte said she remains friends with Senator Marcos.
“Magkaibigan pa rin kami hanggang ngayon. Wala namang problema doon,),” she said.
Duterte said their relationship has endured despite political tensions.
“I do not know her side, but I would like to believe that the friendship is already beyond politics,” she said.
“Dalawa lang yun. It’s either nagpaplastikan kami or it’s really beyond friendship. I would like to believe that it’s beyond politics already,” she added.
The Vice President said she and Senator Marcos still have open lines of communication. (Argyll Geducos)
