THE HAGUE, Netherlands — In a private conversation relayed by his partner, Honeylet Avanceña, former President Rodrigo Duterte expressed frustration over his ongoing detention, reportedly telling her, “Kung sino pa ‘yung may matinong nagawa sa bayan, siya pa ‘yung nasa loob.”
Duterte, who is currently held at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center in The Hague, was arrested in March following a warrant issued over alleged crimes against humanity in connection with his administration’s war on drugs.
Avanceña shared Duterte’s sentiments during a gathering of loyal supporters outside the facility, where they also celebrated the 21st birthday of their daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte. Avanceña described her partner’s state of mind as calm but pained by what he perceives as injustice.
“Masakit para sa kanya,” Honeylet said. “Pero palagi niyang sinasabi, ‘kung sino pa ‘yung may matinong nagawa sa bayan, siya pa ang nasa loob.’”
With visible emotion, Avanceña echoed Duterte’s belief in his legacy and expressed hope that the truth would prevail. “Palaging matatalo naman ang kadiliman ng kabutihan,” she said.
The former president remains a deeply polarizing figure. While his critics cite widespread human rights abuses and thousands of extrajudicial killings during his term, his supporters insist that Duterte brought stability, strong leadership, and decisive action, particularly in the areas of law enforcement and infrastructure.
Outside the detention center, dozens of Duterte loyalists held placards and wore shirts bearing the former president’s image, chanting support and praying for his release. The mood was both festive and defiant, marked by tributes to Kitty Duterte’s birthday and impassioned messages about Duterte’s time in office.
Meanwhile, the Marcos administration has maintained its distance from the ICC proceedings, with President Bongbong Marcos reiterating the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC under Duterte’s term, but stopping short of intervening in the legal process.
As Duterte’s legal team prepares for a long legal battle ahead, Honeylet’s public relaying of his personal sentiments adds a human dimension to the international case, one that his supporters hope will rally more sympathy for the former president.
Whether Duterte’s legacy will be vindicated or condemned remains to be seen, but for his camp, the battle is far from over.