SARA DUTERTE LIGHTS CANDLES, PRAYS FOR FATHER'S RETURN BEFORE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

On the eve of her impeachment trial, Vice President Sara Duterte said she offered prayers for the country, the safety of Filipinos, and the return of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, during a recent visit to the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer in Bogo City, Cebu.

In a statement released on Sunday, Duterte said she lit candles and prayed for peace in the Philippines, as well as for the welfare of Filipinos living and working abroad.

"We also prayed for the return of former President Rodrigo Duterte to our country," she said.

The vice president also included in her prayers the continued recovery of Bogo City following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu in 2025. She noted that visible damage remains at the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer, where religious services are currently being held in a temporary structure while repairs continue.

Duterte's statement came a day before the Senate is scheduled to convene as an impeachment court to begin proceedings over the impeachment complaint filed against her.

Meanwhile, former President Rodrigo Duterte remains detained in The Hague, Netherlands, where he is awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his administration's anti-illegal drug campaign. The former president has consistently denied wrongdoing, while the ICC proceedings are ongoing.