VP Sara on global tour to rally sympathy for Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — What is Vice President Sara Duterte’s real agenda in Australia?

This was among concerns raised by House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante, as Duterte has seemingly embarked on a global junket for political gain.

“Always, as an elected official, the time you spend in and out of the country, whether for personal or official reasons, everything should be for the people, not for personal gains… so that the trust, public funds and mandate given to us by the Filipino people (are) not wasted,” she said yesterday.

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) earlier announced Duterte’s “personal trip,” which will involve attending the June 22 “Free Duterte Now” rally in Melbourne.

As critics previously noted, Duterte is seeking political sympathy from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for her jailed father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. The older Duterte has filed a motion for interim release to a third party country – currently pending decision from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“You convince the government of Australia, because Australia is a member of the ICC, to look into the case of (former) president Duterte, the injustice that he is receiving from the ICC,” she told supporters.

Duterte urged OFWs to tap the local media in Australia and leverage social media platforms to “bring his case to the global community.”

Meanwhile, she also shared her father’s current health status: “You have not seen him this thin, from the time you remember him as mayor, vice mayor, congressman and president of the country.”

The Vice President attributed the weight loss due to difficulty adjusting to life in detention, which involved doing household chores.

The older Duterte is facing crimes against humanity charges for his bloody war on drugs. Meanwhile, the Vice President is in the middle of a Senate impeachment trial for various alleged crimes, including mismanagement of public funds.

Earlier this month, Sara, along with Senators Imee Marcos and Robinhood Padilla attended several OFW events in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during what the OVP said was a “personal trip” with the Vice President’s family.

Another swipe at President Marcos

During the rally in Melbourne, Duterte did not pass up the opportunity to once again assail President Marcos for what she described as shortcomings of his administration.

According to her, reports on investments and lower inflation look “good on paper but you don’t see it at all in the everyday lives of Filipinos. There is nothing happening in our economy.”

On the subject of territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), she noted that “we already won the arbitral award… the only thing to do is enforce the recognition and implementation through diplomatic channels. We don’t have to side with one foreign power and allow missiles to come in, which would only irritate another (country).”

The Vice President has been criticized for being soft on China, even after repeated harassment of Filipino fishermen and vessels in WPS.