Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Veronica “Kitty” Duterte were able to meet him for three hours inside the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility on March 28, coinciding with the former chief executive’s 80th birthday.
This was related by Vice President Sara Duterte, who has been in The Hague, Netherlands since her father’s arrest to help form his legal team.
Honeylet and Kitty, who arrived in The Hague on Wednesday, March 26, but was unable to see the former president then, entered the penitentiary at 1:45 p.m. (Hague Time).
The Vice President earlier shared that the Duterte family, had decided to let Honeylet and Kitty spend time with the former president on his birthday because they have limited time to stay in The Hague.
Kitty is Duterte’s daughter with Honeylet, while the Vice President and brothers Paolo and Sebastian are his children from his first marriage to Elizabeth Zimmerman.
After their visit, Honeylet and Kitty met with Duterte supporters who were waiting outside the detention facility.
Their supporters asked for a selfie particularly with Kitty, while Honeylet talked with some.
After taking some photos with their supporters, they then boarded a black van. Also seen inside the van was former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea.
SHOW OF SUPPORT
Outside the ICC facility, supporters of the former president from different parts of Europe held a birthday picnic in honor of Duterte and to show their support as he remains detained in The Hague.
This was advised by the Vice President, who said a birthday picnic would no longer need a permission from the Dutch authorities, unlike protests and rallies.
She, however, delivered a short speech on a makeshift stage to thank their supporters for being there for her father.
They also sang the “Happy Birthday” song for the president, while the younger Duterte shared a message from her father, who asked his supporters not to intervene and comment, particularly on social media, in the legal process of the ICC.
Senator Robin Padilla and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque were also at the gathering.
Asked about a birthday message for his former boss, Roque said he simply wanted to thank Duterte for serving the country.
“It’s really more of an expression of gratitude dahil talagang binigyan ng presidente ng pagasa ang Pilipinas na sa lahat ng pagsusubok natin ay meron pa rin na maninilbihan para sa bayan at hindi para magpasasa para sa kanilang mga sarili (because the [former] president gave the Philippines hope that in all of the challenges we are facing, someone will still serve the country well and not to enrich themselves).”
Duterte is being held in the ICC detention facility while awaiting trial for charges of crimes against humanity of murder in relation to his administration’s so-called drug war. (Raymund Antonio)
