MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte alluded to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest in her message to new graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), saying that she hopes the fresh officials will “stand for the truth, die for what is right, and protect the nation from the corrupt.”

The Vice President issued the statement ahead of the PNPA Sinaglawin Class of 2025’s graduation, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stood as the guest of honor. 

“Congratulations as you begin a life dedicated to serving the Filipinos and the country,” she said, noting that the path the graduates have chosen is “rough, demanding, and may even be extremely perilous.” 

“Sa inyong kagitingan at kahandaan na tunay na magsilbi, sana ay lagi ninyong piliin ang tama,” she said. 

“Huwag sana ninyong hayaan na mabahiran ang inyong propesyon ng mali katulad ng pagkakanulo sa isang Pilipino ng kanyang kapwa Pilipino,” she said. 

“Walang kapatawaran ang pagsuko at pagpapakulong sa mga  dayuhan ng isang Pilipinong naglingkod ng tapat sa ating bayan,” she said. 

The Vice President also underscored that PNP officials should “uphold the interest of the Filipinos above all else.” 

“As you fly, fight, and win, you will be the patriots who will stand for the truth, die for what is right, and protect the nation from the corrupt, the power-hungry, and the ones who destroy our intrinsic Filipino values of 'prinsipyo at integridad',” Duterte said in her message to the graduates. 

“There will also be no honor for those who will betray the interest of Filipinos and the country,” she said. 

The Vice President did not mention names, but she has repeatedly slammed the Marcos Jr. administration for coordinating with the International Criminal Court to arrest and bring the elder Duterte to the Hague, where he is facing trial for crimes against humanity due to the extrajudicial killings committed during his war on drugs. 

The second-in-command has been accusing the Marcos Jr. for the “state kidnapping” of the former President, a claim while the ruling administration has denied, emphasizing the Philippines commitment to heed requests for assistance from the Interpol.