MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has dismissed as “preposterous” allegations connecting him to the disappearance and presumed deaths of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts, according to his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
Speaking to media on Tuesday following a visit to her father at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague, Vice President Duterte said the former president reacted strongly after learning that some were trying to associate him with the unresolved “missing sabungeros” case.
“I told him about the attempt to link him to the missing sabungeros,” she said. “He said it was preposterous — yes, it’s preposterous.”
The case resurfaced after human bones were recently found during search operations in Taal Lake, where witnesses alleged the bodies of the victims were dumped. Authorities are currently working to verify the remains as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police Involvement and Drug War Link Raised
The controversy deepened when witness Julie “Dondon” Patidongan claimed that the police officers allegedly involved in the abductions and murders of the cockfighting bettors were the same ones implicated in Duterte’s bloody war on drugs during his presidency.
The National Police Commission (Napolcom), through Vice Chairperson Rafael Calinisan, confirmed that they are in the process of verifying the whistleblower’s claims.
The Vice President said that the effort to drag their family into the case was “unsurprising,” noting, “It is expected because we saw it early on with their attacks on my office.”
Duterte’s Condition in Detention
Vice President Duterte also provided an update on her father’s condition at the ICC facility, where he has been detained since March 2025 on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the anti-drug campaign that claimed thousands of lives.
“He’s alive, alert, and was very animated in our discussions earlier,” she assured.
She also addressed circulating rumors that her father was hospitalized, stating, “The photo that claims he’s in the hospital is fake.”
Lawmakers Push for House Arrest
Several senators, including Bong Go, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Robin Padilla, recently filed a resolution urging the international court to consider placing Duterte under house arrest while awaiting trial.
Vice President Duterte expressed gratitude for the gesture: “We thank them for their concern for President Duterte and for supporting the application for interim release.”
She clarified, however, that only the legal team can determine whether the Senate resolution will have any bearing on the case, though the family continues to hope for favorable consideration.
