VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte reported that former president Rodrigo Duterte she some significant weight but affirmed that her father remains firm in his conviction that he acted appropriately for the country.
The vice president visited her father again in his detention cell in The Hague, Netherlands, on Sunday, July 6, 2025.
She said the former president was in good spirits despite his detention. However, she expressed concern over his physical appearance.
“Ang laki ng pinayat ni Tatay Digong,” she remarked, conveying her father’s noticeable weight loss. To give the public a clearer picture, she described his arm as being half the size of her own.
“Hindi ninyo pa siya nakita na ganito kapayat. Nakita ko siya na ganito kapayat noong binata pa siya sa photo,” she added, recalling seeing him this thin only in old photographs from his youth.
“Dahil talaga iyun sa appetite. Loss of appetite siguro sa mga pangyayari, siguro kasi hindi traditional Filipino food,” she added.
Despite his physical changes, former President Duterte conveyed a firm message to the Filipino people through his daughter: “I did what I had to do for my country and I had no regrets.”
The vice president also informed her father about the continuous outpouring of support from Filipinos. She shared that there are daily gatherings of Filipinos on “Duterte Street” (a symbolic reference to sustained public presence).
She also mentioned the “Walk for Duterte” held in The Hague on Saturday, July 5, and the “Run for Duterte” events simultaneously held in Davao City and Cebu on Sunday, July 6.
The former president was also made aware that a perpetual mass was being offered for his well-being.
Moreover, the vice president thanked Filipinos for their unwavering support. She added that the family understands the public’s concern and frustration regarding the ongoing International Criminal Court (ICC) case involving the former president.
