On the eve of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s 80th birthday, his common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña and their daughter Veronica “Kitty” Duterte were denied entry into the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague, Netherlands. Duterte is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) facility, awaiting trial for crimes against humanity.
Avanceña and Kitty arrived at the prison at noon. (The Hague time) on Thursday, March 27, but were turned away after waiting for nearly two hours. The two left the detention facility at 1:55 p.m. without being able to see Duterte. Despite avoiding reporters stationed outside, they gave an exclusive interview to SMNI News, a media outlet owned by detained religious leader and suspected child abuser Apollo Quiboloy.
In the interview, Kitty Duterte thanked supporters and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who gathered outside the prison. “To all the Filipino communities around Europe, around the world, thank you very much for the support for me and my family… We are grateful to you. We hope you will not stop until former president Duterte is able to return home,” Kitty said.
Kitty also expressed her birthday wishes for her father, saying, “Hopefully he eats the food inside (the ICC detention center) and he will be more obedient.” She and her mother mingled with OFWs and Duterte supporters outside the prison after being barred from entering.
Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also in The Hague, revealed that the family had agreed that Honeylet and Kitty would spend Duterte’s milestone birthday with him. However, she explained that their time in The Hague was limited due to Honeylet’s business commitments and Kitty’s academic obligations in the Philippines. “Their time’s limited, so all the time that they can have, they have been given,” Sara Duterte said.
The Vice President clarified that the former president is allowed only two visits per day — one from a lawyer and another from a family member. She confirmed she had no scheduled visits with him that Friday.
Sara Duterte also mentioned that while she and her siblings remain on good terms, relations between Honeylet and Duterte’s legal wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, were more complex. She added that Zimmerman was expected to arrive in The Hague on March 28 or 29.
Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to appear before the ICC on September 23 for the confirmation of charges against him related to his controversial war on drugs.
Kpg d2 nangyari sa pilipinas yan na hindi pinayagan ang pagdalaw, kadaming reklamo yan sa media. Pero dun sa The Hague, tameme cla. Walang reklamo. 😁😁😁