Vice President (VP) Sara Duterte joined the Filipino Community in Kuwait on Friday, August 15, to address concerns and discuss issues affecting overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
In the official statement posted in Office of the Vice President (OVP) Facebook page, it said that the VP prioritizes active engagement with Filipino migrant communities around the world as part of VP Duterte’s directive to represent and advocate for all Filipinos.
After the OFW gathering, the Vice President will continue efforts to secure the release of former President Rodrigo Duterte, her father, who was “forcibly taken from Philippine soil.”
It may be recalled that the former president is currently detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, and is facing charges of crimes against humanity related to his administration’s war on drugs.
OVP also asserts legality of VP Duterte’s Kuwait visit stating that the official engagements are conducted in full compliance with existing government rules and regulations. They also noted that the trip is “lawful and aligned with her responsibilities in public service”, and “no public funds are used for all her travel overseas”.
Moreover, there are reports alleging that the Vice President is habitually absent from her official duties due to frequent trips abroad, to which she has firmly denied and dismissed as baseless accusations.
Since July 2024, the Vice President has taken multiple trips abroad, including visits to Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Qatar, Malaysia, Australia, and South Korea.
