Sara Duterte thanks Marcos for letting her mend bond with jailed father

Former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte (From file of Presidential Photos)

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for allowing her and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, to mend their relationship.

The former president is detained after the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered his arrest for his crimes against humanity arising out of his drug war.

The vice president made the pronouncement in a chance interview in The Hague, Netherlands.

“This really is ironic, but I have to thank Bongbong Marcos because there was forgiveness between me and [former President Rodrigo Duterte] for all that has happened in our lives,” she said.

“And we have a relationship now – a father-daughter relationship,” she continued.

The vice president was responding to a question on how she felt about developments surrounding her father’s case.

According to her, the time she spent visiting the former chief executive inside the ICC Detention Centre was “one of the longest meetings” she ever had together.

She recalled that that former president was always busy when she was growing up.

“Now, I have this every day with him, talking about life, talking about family, and for that, I feel that I am blessed, because at this point, he is already 80. He is already retired,” the vice president said.

“We were given this time to talk as father and daughter,” she stressed.

“Sad that it has to happen inside the ICC. But yes, thank you to him,” she said, referring to Marcos.

She said she was happy because she became close with her half-sister Veronica amid what she called “attacks” against her family.

“I’m blessed because I gained a sister with what happened to me after the attacks – the confidential funds attacks, the impeachment – we have a relationship now. I have a relationship with Kitty,” revealed the vice president.

READ: Duterte family to visit detained patriarch on his birthday

READ: War on drugs: The violence, scars, doubts and families it left behind

This campaign reportedly killed at least 6,000 people. But human rights groups say the number is as high around 20,000.

The elderly Duterte’s arrest was seen as divisive amid protests from his supporters against the Marcos administration.

The vice president and her siblings were at the forefront, criticizing Marcos and his government for allegedly cooperating with the ICC.

Duterte’s camp argued that the country was no longer under the jurisdiction of the ICC. Hence, the former president’s arrest was invalid.

READ: Palace: ICC has jurisdiction on cases when Duterte was mayor until 2019

However, Marcos repeatedly said the government was merely cooperating with the International Criminal Police Organization when it enforced the ICC arrest warrant against the former Philippine leader.

Palace and other legal experts argue that the ICC retains its jurisdiction over crimes committed when the Philippines was still a member of the Rome Statute.

It was in 2011 when the Philippines ratified the Rome Statute and became a member of the ICC.

However, by March 2019, under Duterte’s term, the Philippines ceased to be under the authority of the international legal body.