Former Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV on Friday rejected Vice President Sara Duterte’s claim that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a “lapdog” of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the former senator, as the tribunal prepares to begin the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte in November 2026.
“Nahihibang na talaga si Sara,” Trillanes said in a Facebook post.
“Ang ICC ay hindi tuta nino man. Ang kaso ni Digong sa ICC ay bunga ng isang malalim na imbestigasyon na inabot ng ilang taon,” he added.
Trillanes also maintained that the alleged killings linked to former President’s war on drugs actually occurred.
“Bukod pa rito, alam nating mga Pilipino na totoong nangyari ang libu-libong patayan dahil sa war on drugs policy ni Digong,” he said.
The Vice President made the remarks during a rally of supporters near the ICC headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, where she called the tribunal a “lapdog” of Marcos and Trillanes and accused the two of being “traitors.”
She also alleged corruption in the ICC’s investigation into her father’s case, citing claims involving former Rep. Zaldy Co.
According to the vice president, claims that Co had money delivered to ICC investigators through Trillanes were not hearsay because they allegedly came from Co’s bagmen, who supposedly received instructions, exchanged pesos for dollars, and delivered the money.
Trillanes, who filed a supplemental complaint against then-President Duterte before the ICC in 2017, denied in February that Co had sent him $2 million to give to ICC investigators.
“Ang ICC ay tuta nina Trillanes at Marcos,” Sara Duterte said.
The former president is facing charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC over alleged killings committed during his presidency and his tenure as Davao City mayor.
He has been detained at the ICC detention center in The Hague since March 2025.
The ICC is scheduled to begin the trial of the former president in November 2026.
