Sara Duterte says father 'okay,' talked about flood control in phone call
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte said her father remains "okay" and talks to her about politics, family, and personal matters in their phone conversations — remarks that come as the International Criminal Court reviews whether the former president fit to stand trial.
Speaking to reporters in an ambush interview on Tuesday, September 16, the vice president said she spoke to former President Rodrigo Duterte last week over the phone.
“We talked about politics, we talked about flood control, we talked about what, his love life," Duterte said in mixed English and Filipino.
Asked to elaborate on the elder Duterte's current condition, the vice president said he was "okay," but stopped short of disclosing more details.
Duterte's comments come as the ICC pre-trial chamber weighs whether her father is medically competent enough to take part in the hearings ahead related to his crimes against humanity charges.
The defense had argued that the former president's cognitive faculties had declined to the point that he could no longer meaningfully participate in the legal proceedings.
In asking the judges to adjourn proceedings indefinitely, Duterte's lawyer Nicholas Kaufman had cited problems with his "memory and concomitant inability to retain new information," including his reported inability to "recall events, places, timing, or even members of his close family and Defense team."
The ICC prosecution had opposed that request and instead urged the court to appoint an independent medical expert, separate from the defense’s own doctor, to conduct an assessment of the 80-year-old former leader.
The panel granted a limited postponement of the confirmation of charges hearing — originally set for September 23 — to allow both sides to submit medical evidence and for an expert review to take place.
No new date has been set, with the pre-trial chamber saying the delay would last only as long as "strictly necessary."
Sara: Leave it to experts
Asked directly whether she thought her father remained fit to stand trial, the vice president said it was not for her to say.
"I think there will be a hearing on competency, so let's just wait for the experts," she said. "Aside from the ICC, on the prosecution, on the defense side, I'm sure experts will come out to say what the problems are."
The vice president stressed she was not in a position to judge his mental or physical capacity. “'Di ako expert sa kung ano dapat ang kapasidad ng isang witness or accused (I'm not an expert on determining the capacity of a witness or the accused),” she said.
When reporters pressed further on whether the former president seemed sharp during their calls, she again deferred to the experts.
Victims and their lawyers have earlier urged the court not to let the fitness question stall the trial indefinitely.
The postponed confirmation of charges hearing will determine if there is enough evidence for the court to proceed to a full-blown trial for the former president.
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