Vice President Sara Duterte is right in saying that Filipinos should now “move forward” as a nation, following the March 11 arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD), by virtue of a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), immediately after returning home from a trip from Hong Kong.
Even when asked about allegations that National Security Adviser Eduardo Año took part in a ‘grand conspiracy’ for her father’s arrest, VP Sara said: “Sa totoo lang, wala talaga akong nararamdaman. Hindi ako galit, hindi ako disappointed. Nothing at all. Kasi pointless naman na mag-harbor ako ng feelings about what happened. Hindi na siya maibabalik. Hindi na mababalik si Pangulong Duterte sa Pilipinas.” Año was armed forces chief and interior and local government secretary during Duterte’s presidency.
“So what we should do as a country is move on from what happened. What will we do as our ways forward as a country and as a people from what happened. Magalit man tayo, walang mapupuntahan ‘yung galit natin dahil hindi naman ‘yan sila pananagutin ng pamahalaan eh.” Most specially with the upcoming elections, VP Sara said she believes it is more important for Filipinos to decide wisely what direction to take as a nation since the new set of leaders that will comprise the nation will depend on their votes.
Last March 14, Former President Duterte appeared via video link before ICC judges represented by former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. A hearing had been set to September 23 for the purpose of confirming the ‘crimes against humanity’ charges against him stemming from his administration’s war on illegal drugs.
In calling for Filipinos to move on, Vice President Sara acknowledged the possibility that his father may not be coming home.
“So we’ll just find another way to bring back home our former President,” she said, without discussing the details.
On the reminder issued by the Palace that VP Sara should also fulfill her responsibilities as the country’s second-highest official while attending to her father’s needs, she explained that apart from the fact that the former President is her father, she, as Vice President of the country, is also helping organize a legal defense for a detained ex-President.
In Filipino, she said: “Let’s not think of him as my father. Just think of me as a Vice President who is looking for a way to bring home a Filipino citizen. As Vice President, I have an obligation to form his support group here [the Netherlands] so someone will help him with the ICC.”
The Vice President is correct. There is no use sowing further division in our nation as this would only bring about retrogression.
Either way, whatever we say or do in favor of or against former President Duterte or the administration will not in any way affect the hearing at The Hague or change what has already happened.
It would be best if we unite so this country can move forward and let the issue take its course, especially since it is already in the hands of a court which is beyond our reach.
As what former President Duterte himself had said, he believes that whatever happens to him is his destiny, even pointing to the palm of his hand.
If we truly love our country, let us heed their call. Let us move on as a nation. In unity.
