Team DailyPedia
Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, tearfully spoke out following his arrest and detention in The Hague, Netherlands, calling it a grave injustice and an act of abuse.
In an emotional interview with SMNI News, Avanceña expressed her grief and outrage over the former leader’s sudden apprehension at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on March 11 and subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
Struggling to hold back tears, Avanceña described the ordeal as an abduction rather than an arrest.
“Sobrang pang-aabuso. Kinidnap n’yo siya. Wala kaming laban! Mas mabuti pang pinatay n’yo na lang siya doon.”
She denounced what she called an unfair and humiliating treatment of Duterte, arguing that he dedicated his life to serving the Filipino people.
“Grabe talaga. Kinulong na, kinuha n’yo pa mula sa Pilipinas kung saan siya ipinanganak. Tapos ganito pa ang ginagawa n’yo sa amin. Hindi ako makatulog. Hindi ako makatira sa sarili naming bahay. Nagmamakaawa lang ako,” she pleaded.
Avanceña also claimed that Duterte was deprived of proper food since his detention, adding that his health was at risk given their lack of preparation for an extended stay abroad.
“We only brought clothes and medicine good for three days when we went to Hong Kong. Now, I don’t know how to help him. The abuse is too much.”
The former president’s longtime partner then called on Duterte supporters to continue their prayers and efforts to bring him back to the Philippines.
“Tabang, Pilipino, tabang (Help us, Filipinos, help us),” she pleaded in Bisaya.
She insisted that despite Duterte’s controversial statements and leadership style, he was an effective leader who never abused his power.
“You may find his mouth foul, but he never stole, he remained humble, and he did what was needed to protect the people.”
Duterte, accompanied by Avanceña and their daughter Kitty, was arrested upon arrival at NAIA on March 11 after a brief trip to Hong Kong. He was first detained at Villamor Air Base before being flown to The Hague on March 12.
His pre-trial hearing at the ICC took place on March 14, where the tribunal confirmed “reasonable grounds” to proceed with his case regarding thousands of deaths during his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
While official Philippine records place the death toll at 6,000, human rights groups and the ICC prosecutor estimate the actual number to be between 12,000 to 30,000, including alleged extrajudicial killings from 2016 to 2019.
Avanceña and Duterte’s camp have vowed to fight for his return to the Philippines, though ICC proceedings could take years before a final ruling is made.
Meanwhile, pro- and anti-Duterte sentiments continue to clash, with supporters rallying for his release, while critics emphasize the importance of accountability for the thousands of lives lost under his war on drugs.
