Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17695772120341769577211041.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"></span></span></span></div><p>A man holds a portrait of former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte in front of the International Criminal Court (ICC) where he will be appearing, in The Hague on March 14, 2025. Nicolas Tucat, AFP/File</p><p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte said she would talk to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, about alleged calls to replace his lawyers ahead of a &quot;confirmation of charges&quot; hearing at the International Criminal Court next month. </p><p>The younger Duterte said she forgot to ask her father about the matter during her recent visit, but would raise the issue on her next visit on January 28. </p><p>“I will ask that question tomorrow of former President Duterte. I forgot that question kanina,” she said in an ambush interview in The Hague, the Netherlands on January 27. </p><p>ICC judges ruled on Monday that the 80-year-old Duterte patriarch was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/icc-pre-trial-chamber-i-says-duterte-fit-to-take-part-in-pre-trial-proceedings-1813">fit to take</a> part in a February 23 hearing, where judges decide whether the prosecution&#x27;s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial.</p><p>Vice President Duterte said her father was “okay”. </p><p>“Okay lang siya. ‘Yung topic namin ay &#x27;yun pa rin, ‘yung mga nawawala sa dagat at pait ba na nararamdaman ng mga pamilya nila. The uncertainty of not knowing what happened to their loved ones,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/23/vp-duterte-says-dad-rodrigo-ok-when-she-visited-him-in-icc-detention-1233">READ: VP Duterte says dad Rodrigo ‘OK’ when she visited him in ICC detention</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘NOT PERSUADED’ </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The elder Duterte&#x27;s defense had argued the former leader&#x27;s short-term memory was &quot;demonstrably impacted&quot; to the extent he could not &quot;retain information for more than a short space of time.&quot;</p><p>The defense team said this made it impossible for him to follow a hearing fairly and to instruct his lawyers effectively.</p><p>However, the judges said they were &quot;not persuaded by these arguments&quot;.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, told AFP the defense would &quot;seek leave to appeal this decision on the grounds that Mr Duterte was denied due process.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The defense is disappointed that, contrary to accepted practice, it was denied the opportunity to present its own medical evidence,&quot; said Kaufman.</p><p>Kaufman added the defense team was also disappointed it could not &quot;even question, in court, the contradictory findings of a panel of medical professionals selected by the judges.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/-denied-due-process-duterte-s-counsel-says-will-appeal-icc-decision-2338">&#x27;Denied due process&#x27;: Duterte&#x27;s counsel says will appeal ICC decision</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘WORST CASE FOR BATO’ </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, the second-in-command was also asked for her comment on the reported statement of Senate President Pro-Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson that the “worst case scenario” that could happen to Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa was to be detained at the Hague as a sitting senator. </p><p>“Sa tingin ko lang ha, sa lahat ng tao, sa buhay ng isang tao, the worst thing that could happen is magkasakit at mamatay. Kapag wala kang sakit at hindi ka namatay at buhay na buhay ka pa kahit nasa loob ka man ng kulungan o nasa labas ka ng kulungan, okay na,” the vice president said.</p><p>“Kasi hindi lahat ng tao ba binibigyan ng 70 years, ng 75 years, ng 80 years, ng Diyos. Iyong iba, lumabas lang, bumili ng itlog hindi na nakabalik sa pamilya nila,” she added. </p><p>She believes that Dela Rosa’s situation is “nothing” compared to the situation of ailing persons. </p><p>“Kaya ‘di ba, ‘yung kay sitwasyon ni Senator Bato, wala ‘yan. Hindi naman siya nagkasakit eh. ‘Yung mga kawawang mga tao yung mga magpa-chemo tapos sobrang hina after nila. Ayaw kumain, walang gana kumain, yung mga gano&#x27;n, yung mga sakit na wala ng gamot, yung mga nasa hospice, ‘yung mga nag-aantay na lang kung anong oras sila kukunin ni Lord,” she said.</p><p>“Alam na nilang kukunin sila, nagaantay lang sila kung anong oras. ‘Yun yung mga worst cases or worst incidents na mangyari sa buhay ng isang tao. Kapag buhay na buhay ka, wala kang sakit at hindi ka na matay, okay kaya, go lang,” the Vice President added.</p><p>Dela Rosa has been absent from Senate plenary sessions since Nov. 11, 2025, after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for him.</p><p>There has been no official confirmation yet that an arrest warrant was issued for Dela Rosa.</p><p>A former national police chief, Dela Rosa has been tagged as one of the co-perpetrators in the crimes against humanity case against Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/28/dela-rosa-s-salary-may-be-withheld-due-to-continued-absence-lacson-1109">No work, no pay? Bato dela Rosa&#x27;s salary may be withheld due to continued absence — Lacson</a></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><iframe width="726" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E8-CG-Bv2w8" title="ICC: Duterte fit to face trial; confirmation of charges set for Feb. 23 | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte said she would talk to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, about alleged calls to replace his lawyers ahead of a "confirmation of charges" hearing at the International Criminal Court next month.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte said she would talk to her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, about alleged calls to replace his lawyers ahead of a "confirmation of charges" hearing at the International Criminal Court next month.

Sara Duterte to ask dad Rodrigo on alleged calls to replace lawyers

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Sara Duterte to ask dad Rodrigo on alleged calls to replace lawyers

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 28, 2026 01:17 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 28, 2026 01:54 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte

ICC

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