House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and ACT Teachers party-list nominee Antonio Tinio strongly criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for claiming that ensuring her father’s return from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is part of her duties as Vice President.
“Itigil na niya ang pagiging ipokrita dahil ginagawa lang niya ang pagpapabalik sa tatay niya mula sa ICC ay para hindi ito managot sa mga kasalanan nito sa mga biktima ng extra-judicial killings sa kanyang pekeng drug war at red-tagging,” Castro added.
Former ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio pointed out the Vice President’s selective approach to helping Filipinos detained abroad.
“Vice President Duterte claims she has ‘a duty to a fellow countryman’ in ICC detention, but where was this sense of duty for the thousands of other Filipinos detained overseas? Has she shown any concrete actions to help Mary Jane Veloso or other OFWs facing grave situations abroad?” Tinio questioned.
“Ni wala ngang maipakita si VP Duterte na trinabaho niya ang mga kaso ng libo-libo nating mga kababayan na nakakulong sa ibang bansa tulad na lang sa kaso ni Mary Jane Veloso,” he emphasized.
The lawmakers stressed that the ICC case against former President Rodrigo Duterte involves serious crimes against humanity that resulted in thousands of deaths during his administration’s war on drugs.
“The Vice President cannot hide behind her position to shield her father from accountability. Justice for the victims of the drug war must be served, and the ICC process should be allowed to proceed without political interference,” Rep. Castro concluded.#
