By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte said she intends to meet with several detained politicians and their supporters upon her return to the Philippines, signaling continued engagement with key allies facing criminal charges.
Speaking to reporters in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, Duterte disclosed that she has already arranged visits with political figures currently in detention, although she declined to identify them.
She also confirmed plans to visit Sen. Rodante Marcoleta again after returning home. Duterte said she had previously met Marcoleta shortly after he surrendered to authorities and intends to speak with him again in the coming days.
“I visited him immediately after he surrendered to the court, and I will speak with him again very soon when I return to the Philippines,” Duterte said in Filipino.
Beyond Marcoleta, the Vice President said her itinerary includes meetings with other politicians in detention as well as individuals supporting them, but she did not elaborate on the identities of those she plans to visit.
Marcoleta is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail after being charged before the Sandiganbayan with non-bailable plunder in connection with alleged violations of Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from accepting gifts while in office.
Also in detention is Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, another Duterte ally, who faces a non-bailable plunder case and two counts of graft over his alleged involvement in the government’s flood control controversy. He is likewise being held at the New Quezon City Jail while awaiting further court proceedings.
Duterte’s planned visits come as legal cases involving several of her political allies continue to draw national attention, with proceedings expected to unfold in the coming months.
ia/xf
