Vice President Sara Duterte said Thursday the nation should now move forward as there is a possibility that her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, will not be coming back to the Philippines following his arrest.

The Vice President said this when asked in a virtual press conference what she feels about National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, given that the Duterte patriarch was immediately arrested upon returning to the Philippines last week from Hong Kong.

“Sa totoo lang wala akong nararamdaman. Hindi ako galit, hindi ako disappointed. Nothing at all. Kasi pointless naman na mag-harbor ako ng feelings about what happened. Hindi na siya maibabalik. Hindi na mababalik si Pangulong Duterte sa Pilipinas” she said.

(Honestly, I don’t feel anything. I’m not angry, I’m not disappointed. Nothing at all. Because it’s pointless for me to harbor feelings about what happened. He can't be brought back. President Duterte can't be brought back to the Philippines.)

“So what we should do as a country is move on from what happened. What will we do as [we move] forward as a country and as a people from what happened. Magalit man tayo, walang mapupuntahan ‘yung galit natin dahil hindi naman ‘yan sila pananagutin ng pamahalaan eh,” she added.

(Even if we get angry, our anger will be pointless because the government won't hold them accountable.)

Despite seeing no efforts from Philippine authorities to bring her father back home, Sara Duterte said that their camp will continue to look for ways to make his return possible.

She said that Rodrigo Duterte even expressed that he still wants to serve as mayor again of Davao City.

“Dapat siguro i-demand natin sa kanila na mag-isip sila, but clearly from the answers of secretary of the Department of Justice kanina, I don't think they will make moves in taking back or bringing the former President home. So hahanapan na lang namin ng ibang paraan kung paano maiuwi ang ating dating Pangulo,” the Vice President said.

(Perhaps we should demand from the government to look for ways, but clearly from the answers of the secretary of the Department of Justice earlier, I don't think they will make move in taking back or bringing the former President home. So we'll just find another way to bring back home our former President.)

Traitor

Sara Duterte also answered questions of a possible “traitor” within the circle of her father who flew with him to Hong Kong.

“Hindi ko man matawag siguro na traitor, pero sigurado ako sa dami ng tao na ‘yun sa loob ng kwarto na ‘yun ay meron talagang nagsasabi kung ano ang pinag-uusapan doon sa loob. Kung kanino nila sinasabi, hindi ko alam,” she said.

(I wouldn't call it a traitor, but I'm sure with all the people in that room, someone was really spilling what's being said in there. I don't know who they were telling these things to.)

Earlier on Thursday, Año denied that he had a hand in the supposed "conspiracy" that led to the arrest of Duterte, saying that his role in the matter was only limited to assessing that the “situation does not escalate into a national security concern."

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, meanwhile, had admitted having an ill feelings towards Año, saying that “out of courtesy,” he could have at least informed Duterte’s team, who was then in Hong Kong, that the former president would get arrested once he returned to the Philippines.

Dela Rosa also said that he had heard rumors of an alleged traitor in the group who was with Duterte in Hong Kong. He, however, said he has no idea who the person is.

(Reports from Giselle Ombay, GMA Integrated News)