Latest news with #FreeDuterteNow
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
"I am not on holiday for this trip": VP Sara Duterte visit gets mixed reactions from the community
According to the Office of the Vice President, Sara Duterte arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday morning, June 18, 2025. Vice President Sara Duterte provided an update on her father's condition, former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, who is detained on charges of crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs campaign. She addressed the 'Free Duterte Now' rally in Melbourne, calling for her father's release from detention in the Netherlands. Filipinos expressed mixed reactions to Vice President Sara Duterte's arrival in Australia. SBS Filipino 23/06/2025 10:37 Vice President Sara Duterte addressed the 'Free Duterte Now' rally in Melbourne, joined by the some Filipinos, calling for her father's release from detention in the Netherlands. The supporters came from different state and territories in Australia. Meanwhile, some Filipinos in Melbourne opposed Vice President Sara Duterte's visit to Australia. According to some groups, the visit appears to signal support for impunity and could sow division within the Filipino community in Australia. | Photo credit: BAYAN Australia 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
VP Sara Duterte clarifies Australia visit: Not for father's interim release or 'holiday' but to meet the Filipino community
According to the Office of the Vice President, Sara Duterte arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday morning, June 18, 2025. Vice President Sara Duterte provided an update on her father's condition, former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, who is detained on charges of crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs campaign. She addressed the 'Free Duterte Now' rally in Melbourne, calling for her father's release from detention in the Netherlands. Filipinos expressed mixed reactions to Vice President Sara Duterte's arrival in Australia. SBS Filipino 23/06/2025 10:37 Vice President Sara Duterte addressed the 'Free Duterte Now' rally in Melbourne, joined by the some Filipinos, calling for her father's release from detention in the Netherlands. The supporters came from different state and territories in Australia. Meanwhile, some Filipinos in Melbourne opposed Vice President Sara Duterte's visit to Australia. According to some groups, the visit appears to signal support for impunity and could sow division within the Filipino community in Australia. | Photo credit: BAYAN Australia 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
GMA Network
7 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
VP Sara: PH not ready for war as Marcos admin lacks plan, direction
The Philippines is ill-equipped for war or any "global shock" due to the Marcos administration's lack of plan and direction, Vice President Sara Duterte said Sunday. Duterte made the statements in a speech to supporters during a 'Free Duterte Now' rally in Melbourne, Australia. 'We are not prepared for drawing change, we are not prepared for war, we are not prepared for global shock because there is no plan at all, there is no vision at all,' said Duterte who is in the country on a personal visit. 'I've been a member of the cabinet, and there was no direction at all, so we need to come together and push for the administration to give what is rightfully for the country,' she added. Duterte also expressed her disapproval of the United States deployment of the Typhon missile system in the Philippines. Instead, she maintained the Philippines should not take sides and should balance its foreign relations with different countries. 'Iyong problema natin sa West Philippine Sea, does not make up our entire relations with China. And so, therefore, there is no reason for you to lean towards the US. You have to always stay in the middle because you are not a part of the bigger conflict,' Duterte said. Aside from being elected Vice President, Duterte was also the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) until she quit in June 2024. Among the criticism she also leveled at the government, the Vice President also decried what she claims is the country's inefficiency in climate resilience and the lack of a long-term plan to make the country self-sufficient in food. 'We don't take care of our farmers. We don't have a food security plan, and it is already the midterm of this administration, with no plans of doing plans, of creating plans. Nothing,' Duterte said. She noted that the administration should focus on the country's healthcare system, infrastructure development, food security, and education. GMA News Online has reached out to Malacañang for comments. Better legacy The Vice President explained that she teamed up with Marcos during the 2022 national elections since she thought he wanted a 'better' legacy compared to his father, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. 'Ang buong akala ko dahil syempre diba (the whole time, I thought because) we had that dark past in our country and the principal figure of that was Marcos Sr, so I was thinking that he would want a legacy that is better than what we had before,' Duterte said, referring to the Martial Law during the elder Marcos' regime from 1972 to 1986. 'Unfortunately, I did not bet properly with my running mate, but you know I'm sure you have doubts with the Marcoses already,' she added. However, Duterte defended the President's sister, Senator Imee Marcos, whom she said had been her friend since 2012. 'Senator Imee Marcos is a different individual altogether, and she has been my friend since 2012. I met BBM in 2020 when they visited Davao City,' Duterte said. Just two years after the Uniteam's successful campaign in the 2022 national elections, Duterte, who originally wanted to assume the post of defense secretary, stepped down from her post in DepEd. She also resigned from Lakas-CMD as its chairperson and a member, saying that she won't be able to serve the country amid "political toxicity' or undermined by "execrable political powerplay." The Vice President is now facing an impeachment complaint, which includes issues surrounding the use of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City. The complaint also includes her 'assassination' remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
20-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Palace on VP Sara's trip to Australia: Personal or for country?
''Pang personal o pang bayan? That is the question.'' This was the reaction of Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Friday as regards the travel of Vice President Sara Duterte to Australia for a personal trip. Castro said it would be Duterte's choice if she prefers to travel. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) revealed that her itinerary includes attendance in the "Free Duterte Now" rally on Sunday, June 22, in Melbourne. The elder Duterte is currently detained at the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, Netherlands over charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration's war on drugs. GMA News Online has reached the OVP for comment on Castro's remark but it has yet to reply as of posting time. Last week, the Vice President traveled to Kuala Lumpur for a personal trip with her family. While in Malaysia, she attended a Philippine Independence Day celebration and engaged in a program consultation with overseas Filipino workers. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
20-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte bound for Australia, to join rally for dad Rodrigo
Vice President Sara Duterte addresses the media in front of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands on March 14, 2025. Photo by: Jay-Vee Marasigan Pangan Vice President Sara Duterte will travel to Australia for another personal trip and to join a protest action calling for the release of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. According to an advisory Friday from the Office of the Vice President (OVP), her itinerary includes attendance in the "Free Duterte Now" rally on Sunday, June 22, in Melbourne. The elder Duterte is currently detained at the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, Netherlands over charges of crimes against humanity for the extrajudicial killings during his administration's war on drugs. Last week, the Vice President traveled to Kuala Lumpur for a personal trip with her family. While in Malaysia, she attended a Philippine Independence Day celebration and engaged in a program consultation with overseas Filipino workers. The Vice President is facing an impeachment case for betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. She was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint against her. After the Senate voted to return her case to the House of Representatives, her impeachment trial is currently expected to begin in the 20th Congress, which will open in July. The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday directed Sara Duterte and nine others from the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd) to respond to the charges filed by the House of Representatives in connection with the alleged misuse of confidential funds. The order came after the House filed a complaint against Duterte and several others for plunder, technical malversation, falsification, use of falsified documents, perjury, bribery, corruption of public officers, betrayal of public trust, and culpable violation of the Constitution, a source said. The complaint stemmed from the recommendation of the House Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability to file charges against Duterte for the alleged misuse of P500 million in confidential funds of the OVP and P112.5 million in confidential funds of DepEd from 2022 to 2024. The Vice President has denied the allegations against her. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
