In refusing to grant the request for the interim release of former president Rodrigo Duterte, now being held in The Hague for accusations of crimes against humanity, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said that among other things it was statements made by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio, that influenced their decision.
The ICC cited Carpio’s July 19 speech that brought up the idea of breaking her father out of detention. The ICC also said Carpio has repeatedly made statements to ‘delegitimize’ the proceedings against her father.
The ICC also said because Carpio said her father wants to be returned to Davao City if he is released, this was something they couldn’t allow for fear of his exerting undue influence on the witnesses of his case, or the resumption of the killings he is accused of as mayor of Davao City.
This is a case of the vice president shooting her own foot. Had she been more circumspect of the things she said before, there was the chance that the request for her father’s release could have been granted.
We understand that her emotions ran high because of what happened to her father and that to stay silent in the face of what they perceive to be an injustice would be impossible, but as a public official she should have been able to temper her statements in a way that would not be interpreted as her threatening to free her father if he was ever detained here.
But that’s in the past now. It would appear that Carpio may have learned from this recent experience. When asked to comment on the ICC’s decision, she declined, saying it wasn’t appropriate for her to comment right now while the biggest current issue is the earthquakes happening in different parts of the country.
There may yet be hope for her becoming someone who tempers her words, the mark of competent leaders.
On the other hand, her brother, acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, doesn’t seem to have learned anything.