Vice President Sara Duterte has addressed the remarks made by Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, who stated that former President Rodrigo Duterte never compared himself to the late Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino.
The Vice President countered that her statements during a program in The Hague, Netherlands, were based on historical events involving the late senator, which, she said, could not be altered or erased from history.
According to VP Sara, this reflects the current administration’s capacity to engage in such actions, including extraordinary rendition, in which her father was allegedly taken without a warrant and brought to The Hague to face the International Criminal Court (ICC).
She clarified that it was not former President Rodrigo Duterte who suggested that his situation might mirror that of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino but rather her own assertion.
She explained that she made this statement out of concern for her father’s safety, as he is currently in a detention facility.
The Vice President also noted that the former leader has repeatedly expressed his desire to return to the Philippines whenever she visits him in detention.
Meanwhile, according to the former president, he no longer fears for his safety due to his age and believes he has already completed his duties—except for his wish to run for Davao City Mayor in the upcoming elections.