Vice President Sara Duterte is set to fly to Melbourne, Australia, for a personal visit and to participate in a rally demanding the release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
An advisory from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed that Sara will attend the “Free Duterte Now” protest on Sunday, June 22. The rally is part of efforts to show international support for the elder Duterte, who is currently in detention at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague. He faces charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity tied to his controversial war on drugs.
This trip follows a recent personal visit by the Vice President to Kuala Lumpur, where she also took part in a Philippine Independence Day celebration and met with overseas Filipino workers.
Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte remains embroiled in legal battles of her own. She is facing impeachment charges that include betrayal of public trust, graft, and corruption. The House of Representatives impeached her on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers supporting the complaint. The Senate later returned the case to the House, and her trial is expected to start in the upcoming 20th Congress session in July.
In a related development, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered Duterte and nine others from the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd) to respond to corruption allegations. These stem from the alleged misuse of over ₱600 million in confidential funds between 2022 and 2024—a claim the Vice President has firmly denied.