Former President Rodrigo Duterte has already expressed his last wishes, wanting his remains to be cremated if he dies in The Hague, Netherlands, according to his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
"Sabi ko nga he's not in the mood, nagbigay na siya ng kaniyang mga huling habilin. Sabi niya kung saan daw siya mamatay, doon daw siya i-cremate," Duterte said in an interview.
"Sabi niya kung mamatay daw siya dito sa Netherlands, ‘wag na daw iuwi 'yung kaniyang katawan sa Pilipinas. Ipa-cremate lang daw siya dito, yung ashes na lang daw ang iuwi," she added.
The Vice President said she told her father to talk about the matter another time, as she is not in favor of cremation.
Asked how she felt when Rodrigo made that remark, VP Sara said that it's "natural" for an 80-year-old to think about such things.
"Mabuti na rin 'yun na alam natin lahat kung ano 'yung kanyang last wishes para magagawa 'yun kapag nangyari," she said.
Sara Duterte earlier said that the former president has lost a significant amount of weight since being detained in The Hague, describing him as "skin and bones."
On the other hand, Malacañang declined to comment on former President Duterte's supposed wish, noting that the decision is a family matter.
"Family matters po 'yan at pampamilyang usapin, so sa kanila pong desisyon 'yan," Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press officer Claire Castro said.
Former President Duterte is currently in custody at The Hague after being arrested in March 2025 on the basis of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.
He faces charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape, and obstruction of justice. The alleged crimes occurred between 2011 and 2019, during which time the Philippines was still under ICC jurisdiction.
His confirmation-of-charges hearing is scheduled for September 23–26, 2025.
