Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Former President Rodrigo Duterte testifies at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings, addressing alleged human rights violations from his administration’s war on drugs on October 28, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1752645908443Screen Shot 2025-07-16 at 2.04.25 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former President Rodrigo Duterte testifies at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings, addressing alleged human rights violations from his administration’s war on drugs on October 28, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has described as “preposterous” attempts to link him to the disappearance and alleged murder of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts, according to Vice President Sara Duterte said on Tuesday.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/15/potential-link-of-drug-war-sabungeros-case-could-be-added-evidence-vs-duterte-1135">&#x27;Missing sabungeros&#x27; case may boost ICC case vs Duterte: drug war victims&#x27; lawyer</a></div><p>The Vice President, who was visiting her father in The Hague, Netherlands, said she had discussed with him the latest developments in the Philippines, including a witness’ claim that the policemen who were allegedly involved in the so-called “missing <em>sabungeros</em>&quot; case were the same cops tagged in the previous administration’s drug war.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/14/human-bones-found-in-taal-in-missing-sabungeros-search-pnp-1059">Human bones found in Taal in missing sabungeros search: PNP</a></div><p>“Sinabihan ko siya na there is an attempt to link him to the missing sabungeros case. So, sabi niya that it&#x27;s preposterous. Yes, It&#x27;s preposterous,” the younger Duterte said.</p><p>“Doon siya naka-comment na preposterous daw ‘yung attempt to link him to the missing <em>sabungeros </em>and the bones or the bodies in Taal Lake,” she added.</p><p>The Philippine government has launched search operations in the Taal Lake, where the bodies of the missing cockfighting enthusiasts were allegedly dumped.</p><p>National Police Commission (Napolcom) vice chairperson Rafael Calinisan earlier said that his office is in the process of validating the allegations of witness Julie “Dondon” Patidongan that the police who were tapped to kill the “missing sabungeros” are the same cops involved in former president’s drug war.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/14/whistleblower-files-admin-raps-vs-cops-tagged-in-missing-sabungeros-case-1509">Whistleblower files admin raps vs cops tagged in ‘missing sabungeros’ case</a></div><p>Vice President Duterte said that moves to link the “missing sabungeros” case to their family was “expected.”</p><p>“It is expected because we saw it early on with their attacks to my office,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DOING OKAY</strong></div><p>Meantime, the Vice President said that her 80-year old father is doing “okay” in the detention facility.</p><p>“Alive naman ‘no, alert, and he was very animated in the discussions kanina,” she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/11/sara-duterte-says-photo-allegedly-showing-father-in-hospital-is-fake-0047"> Sara Duterte says photo allegedly showing father in hospital is &#x27;fake&#x27;</a></div><p>The Vice President also thanked several lawmakers who filed measures to place her father on house arrest.</p><p>“We thank them for their concern for President Duterte and we thank them for supporting the move for application for interim release of former President Duterte,” she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/15/go-dela-rosa-padilla-push-for-duterte-house-arrest-in-senate-reso-1253">Go, Dela Rosa, Padilla push for Duterte house arrest in Senate resolution</a></div><p>“As I said, only the lawyer can comment on the Senate resolution whether it will be useful for the case or it is not useful for the case, but the family is praying for interim release.”</p><p>The Duterte patriarch has been detained in the Hague since mid-March as he awaits trial for charges of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs that saw the killing of thousands of illegal drug suspects, including minors.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XFeZ6Wg4nSg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SCjqfmWdMZA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>“Sinabihan ko siya na there is an attempt to link him to the missing sabungeros case. So, sabi niya that it's preposterous," Vice President Sara Duterte said.</p>

“Sinabihan ko siya na there is an attempt to link him to the missing sabungeros case. So, sabi niya that it's preposterous," Vice President Sara Duterte said.

Duterte on being linked to ‘missing sabungeros’ case: ‘That’s preposterous’

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Duterte on being linked to ‘missing sabungeros’ case: ‘That’s preposterous’

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 16, 2025 02:06 PM PHT

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Updated July 16, 2025 08:03 PM PHT

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