Vice-President Sara Duterte (C) arrives to address the people gathering outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, on March 14, 2025, as former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appears for the first time before International Criminal Court to face crimes against humanity charges. The 79-year-old faces a charge of “the crime against humanity of murder”, according to the ICC, for a crackdown that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs. (AFP) Vice-President Sara Duterte (C) arrives to address the people gathering outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, on March 14, 2025, as former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appears for the first time before International Criminal Court to face crimes against humanity charges. The 79-year-old faces a charge of “the crime against humanity of murder”, according to the ICC, for a crackdown that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs. (AFP) MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte said she is “excited to go home” now that the core defense team for her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has already been set up. She did not disclose the exact date of her return to Manila. READ: Paolo Duterte’s office remains operational as he travels, kin say “Everything is organized with the lawyers. And there is already a system for the family with regard to the visiting here in the detention unit,” she told reporters in an ambush interview on Friday (Manila time). “Yes, yes. I’m excited to go home. I’ll just book the travel arrangements to go home,” she said when asked if she is ready to fly back to the Philippines. Vice President Duterte, who is set to face an impeachment trial in the Senate, previously said in an interview that she would not leave The Hague until she had set up a legal team for her father and another relative had arrived to look after him. In the Friday interview, the vice president also said that her father has met with his new lawyer, and a schedule for meetings with lawyers and a liaison system have been finalized. The former president was arrested in Manila on March 11. He was flown the same day to The Hague, Netherlands to face trial before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his administration’s drug war. He had his pretrial hearing on March 14, while the ICC set his confirmation of charges hearing for Sept. 23.