FPRRD family concerned over his health in detention

Concerns are mounting within the Duterte family over the health of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

- By IVY TEJANO

The Duterte patriarch's family reported that he has noticeably lost weight since his confinement, despite maintaining a cheerful and talkative demeanor during their visits.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte shared his observations in a press conference on Tuesday, June 17, after their recent visit to his father, with his mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman, and sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.

"He seems okay when you talk to him — he jokes around and laughs — but you can see he has lost weight. He hugged me and kept joking, but he's thinner now because he has lost his appetite," Mayor Duterte said.

First district Rep. Paolo Duterte also echoed his younger brother's concerns in an interview at The Hague, recounting that during his last visit, his father skipped breakfast and lunch and slept most of the time.

"He's (Rody Duterte) much thinner now than at my previous visit. But he is still the same when he talks - always joking, always laughing," Rep. Duterte said in a video footage, along with his wife, January, and their two children - Uno and Sabina.