“Set Me Free and I Will Take an Oath”: A Daughter’s Visit, a Father’s Plea

In a quiet and poignant moment that unfolded far from the familiar streets of Davao City, Vice President Sara Duterte came face to face with the man who shaped not only her life but also the destiny of a nation—her father, former President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte.

Now detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his bloody war on drugs, the elder Duterte remains defiant, yet weary. Despite his confinement, the fire in him has not dimmed—especially after winning the mayoral race in Davao City, a post he once held and helped transform into his political stronghold.

In a brief but emotional exchange during her visit on May 30, VP Sara revealed that her father’s victory was not met with celebration, but with resolve.

“We talked about his oath-taking,” she said, her voice heavy with both pride and sorrow. “He told me, ‘Set me free and I will take an oath.’”

It was not a statement of arrogance, but of principle. A man who ruled with an iron fist, now chained by the same rule of law that once empowered him. His words echoed through the walls of The Hague and reached the hearts of his supporters back home—a plea wrapped in dignity and defiance.

Even in captivity, Duterte defeated former Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles by a landslide, proving that his hold over Davao’s people remains strong. But that landslide victory is now caught in limbo. Behind bars, he cannot raise his hand in pledge, nor stand before his constituents as their chosen leader.

The Philippine government is reportedly planning to allow Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, his son, to temporarily step in while the family patriarch remains detained.

Still, the shadow of politics looms large over a deeply personal matter. The Duterte camp had appealed to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to release the former President as a gesture of goodwill before any national reconciliation could begin. But Marcos stood firm.

“There will be no conditions for reconciliation,” he said—an answer that drew a line in the sand.

Back in The Hague, a father waits. Back in the Philippines, a daughter stands torn—between duty to country and loyalty to blood.

And in the city they both call home, the people of Davao wait too—not just for their mayor to take an oath, but for a chapter of history still being written, in courtrooms and in the hearts of a nation.