Honeylet Avanceña, longtime partner of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is not holding back as she publicly criticized the individuals behind the former leader’s ongoing case at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Speaking to reporters on April 9, Avanceña shared details of their recent visit to Duterte in The Hague, where the ICC is handling the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s drug war.
“I asked him nga eh, ‘how do you feel? Are you angry?’ He said ‘no.’ Kaya yung mga gumawa sa kaniya nito, impyerno kayo!” she exclaimed, visibly emotional.
Avanceña insisted Duterte’s intentions were always anchored in serving the nation. “All he cared for was about his country, alam n’yo ‘yan,” she added.
She didn’t mince words in calling the ICC’s move to detain the former president a misstep. “Buti sana kung naging tarantado, magnanakaw, bangag. ‘Di ba? Akala nila that will put him down. Nagkamali sila. Wrong move.”
Duterte is expected to appear before the court for the confirmation of charges hearing scheduled on September 23, 2025, in The Hague, Netherlands.
