Rowegie Abanto

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte performs a duet with his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, during the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) Thanksgiving Night at the Peninsula Manila in Makati City on June 24, 2019. Richard Madelo, Presidential Photo

Article (news)

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte performs 

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — It would be better if detained former President Rodrigo Duterte would be granted temporary release to his hometown Davao City, his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte said Monday.</p><p>&quot;Kung ako? Davao City talaga, Davao City, Philippines, kahit house arrest &#x27;yan doon, kahit na gusto ng ICC (International Criminal Court) na ilibing sa ilalim ng bunker,&quot; the younger Duterte said when asked where she wanted her father to stay when granted temporary freedom.</p><p>(If you&#x27;ll ask me, I want Davao City, Philippines, even if he would be on house arrest there, even if the ICC wants him to bury him under a bunker.)</p><p>The Vice President and the Duterte family have been campaigning for the return of the former president to the Philippines after he was arrested and transferred to The Hague in the Netherlands in March to face charges of crimes against humanity tied to his brutal anti-drug crackdown.</p><p>If Rodrigo Duterte stays in Davao City, where he won as mayor in the 2025 elections, during the interim release, the Vice President said they could encourage him to cooperate in the hearings and looming trial.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/23/icc-office-of-the-prosecutor-releases-details-of-charges-vs-duterte-0057">Prosecutors charge Duterte with 3 counts of murder &#x27;as crime against humanity&#x27; at ICC</a></div><p>Some lawyers have pointed out that it would be unlikely for the former president to return to the Philippines through an interim release because the country is no longer party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC. </p><p>The former president himself withdrew the country&#x27;s membership from the ICC, which officially took effect in 2019.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/12/can-the-supreme-court-order-the-icc-to-return-duterte-1124">Can the Philippines&#x27; top court order the ICC to return Duterte?</a></div><p>Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s defense team has been pushing for his interim release as the formal trial has yet to commence.</p><p>ICC-accredited lawyer Maria Kristina Conti said Sunday the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/28/the-netherlands-eyed-as-host-country-if-duterte-granted-interim-release-says-lawyer-2209">Netherlands could be the country willing to host</a> the former president should his camp convince the court to grant an interim release.</p><p>Sara Duterte said an undisclosed country had agreed to host her detained father if the ICC approves their plea for temporary liberty.</p><p>Earlier this month, the ICC postponed the confirmation of charges hearing of the former president, citing a request from his defense team, which claimed that he is no longer fit to stand trial.</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/jfWABA9a8gk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Sara Duterte: "Kung ako? Davao City talaga, Davao City, Philippines, kahit house arrest 'yan doon, kahit na gusto ng ICC (International Criminal Court) na ilibing sa ilalim ng bunker."</p>

Sara Duterte: "Kung ako? Davao City talaga, Davao City, Philippines, kahit house arrest 'yan doon, kahit na gusto ng ICC (International Criminal Court) na ilibing sa ilalim ng bunker."

'Kahit sa ilalim ng bunker': VP Duterte says better if dad Rodrigo granted interim release to Davao City

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

'Kahit sa ilalim ng bunker': VP Duterte says better if dad Rodrigo granted interim release to Davao City

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 29, 2025 02:28 PM PHT

|

Updated September 29, 2025 02:39 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte

ICC

International Criminal Court

The Hague

The Netherlands

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.