TOKYO, Japan – President Duterte reaffirmed his love for his common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña who he said is destined to be his First Lady.
In a speech before members of the Filipino community here Thursday, Duterte recalled how he asked Avanceña to return to the Philippines when he found out that she was pregnant with their daughter Veronica.
“No guarantees kung ano titulo mo, but it’s really a destiny na maging First Lady ka,” he said. “Pero kung mayroon gusto sumunod, OK lang naman,” he added.
The First Couple met during Duterte’s first term as Davao City mayor, when Avanceña was crowned as 1988 Mutya ng Dabaw runner-up.
Duterte said that he knew he loved Avanceña when she left him to work in the United States just like his first wife Elizabeth Zimmerman. “Iniwan din nya ako. My God, ang babaeng ito, mahal ko talaga,” he said.
Duterte has three children with Zimmerman – reelected Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, incoming Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Davao City Vice Mayor-elect Sebastian Duterte.
Meanwhile, after professing his love for his long-time partner, Duterte kissed five Filipinas on the cheek while Avanceña was with them on the stage.
Duterte’s smoochfest started after he recalled how he was criticized when he kissed a married Filipina on the lips during his visit to South Korea in June 2018.
“Nakakahiya naman noong sa Singapore ba ‘yon o Hong Kong? Ah Singapore. Ah Korea? ‘Yung hinalikan ko? Siyempre sa…Iyon lang man ang bayad ninyo sa akin,” he said in jest.
“Pero maghalik ako ganun, lips to lips talaga. Sino ngayon ang mag-volunteer?” he added, prompting some of the women in his audience to stand up, raise their hands, and shout to get his attention.
Duterte set his eyes on three Filipinas sitting in the front row.
“Itong tatlo na ito ang tatapang ng… Ikaw ma’am? Unang-una wala kang asawa ha. Pangalawa, hindi ka menor de edad?” he said. “Sige na para makauwi na tayo. Anyone of you. Kiss lang,” he added. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
