VICE President Sara Duterte said the defense team of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, never reached out to Australia to host his interim release following reports that the Australian government has turned him down.

“This has never been discussed with the Australian government. There was never an application with the Australian government, and there is no intent as well to apply for interim release with the Australian government,” Duterte said in a press briefing in Davao City on Friday after the oath-taking of city officials there.