Sara trip to Australia spawns concern from Filipino rights defenders there

Vice President Sara Duterte is currently in Melbourne, Australia, for a “personal trip” and will join Filipinos there this weekend for a rally for former President Rodrigo Duterte.

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But for a group of Filipino rights defenders in Australia, the vice president’s arrival in the country — including her planned appearance at the rally in Melbourne on Sunday — is “distressing for many” in their community and a “direct threat” to social harmony in Australia.

The OVP told reporters on Friday, June 20, that Duterte has been in Australia since Wednesday, saying she is “currently on a personal trip to Australia and will be attending the ‘Free Duterte Now’ rally scheduled for June 22, 2025, in Melbourne.”

Prior to Duterte’s arrival, at least 16 Filipinos in Australia belonging to various rights organizations had signed a joint letter urging Australia’s minister for home affairs, Tony Burke, to prevent Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos from entering Australia.

Burke did not respond to the letter, however, as confirmed to Philstar.com by Melba Marginson, lead convenor of the Australians for Philippine Human Rights Network (APHRN).

“Sara’s presence is an insult to Australians in general. She is currently polarising Filipino-Australian politics. Australia has had a history of cancelling visas of human rights offenders visiting to speak at public events in this country. That is why we at APHRN have tried to stop this visit,” Marginson told Philstar.com.