The common-law wife of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte claimed her visitation rights at the detention facility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands have been indefinitely suspended by the defense lawyers.
In a video-recorded message published online over the weekend, Honeylet Avanceña stated that she had been accused of unauthorized public discussion of Duterte’s pending ICC case. She denied the accusation supposedly made by Duterte’s legal team.
Through the same video message, Avanceña appealed to Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s lead defense counsel, to lift her suspension. She said the 80-year old former strongman needs the care of his family.
Avanceña is a long-time partner of Duterte. They have a daughter, Veronica, who is popularly known as “Kitty.”
“Maawa ka naman… I am 110% sure na may depression na ‘yan. Ngayon dine-deprive mo ako na mabisita siya at least may makausap siya na family,” Avanceña said.
(Have mercy.. I am 110% sure that he is suffering from depression. Now you are depriving me of my right to visit him so that at least he could talk with someone from the family.)
Reacting to Avanceña’s message, Kaufman denied the charge.
The seasoned British-Israeli lawyer said he had no authority over visitation rights at the ICC.
“Contrary to Ms. Avanceña’s claims, visiting rights are not determined by Counsel but rather by the detention center authorities with the intervention of the judges when necessary,” Kaufman said in a statement released to the press.
Kaufman stressed that Duterte’s health is being properly monitored and managed by those regularly in contact with him. “The former president’s health is being carefully managed and monitored by all those with whom he has daily contact,” he said.
Kaufman declined to comment further, citing judicial reasons and respect for family privacy. He described Avanceña as “emotionally distressed.”
The ICC had no immediate comment on the conflicting claims from Avanceña and Kaufman.
Avanceña earlier revealed that a member of the defense team who she did not name informed her that her visitation rights have been suspended.
Avanceña said this occurred during her last visit to Duterte on July 19, when she was advised not to return the following day. Duterte supposedly tried to intervene, saying “you cannot do that.”
Avanceña said Duterte’s lawyer flagged her for making a phone call wherein the status of the case was allegedly discussed. But she maintained she avoided any case discussion.
Avanceña said she had no access to legal information from Kaufman or anyone else involved. “Kaufman knows that,” she remarked.
Part of Avanceña’s video message included a request for Duterte’s legal team to allow family members to seek advice from other lawyers.
“I have nothing against you. (But) please do not deprive us of asking legal opinions from other lawyers. We acknowledge you as his lawyer,” she said addressing Kaufman. “I know you are protecting your lawyer practice. I don’t know if you’re trying to prove something (to us), we are concerned about the life of this man.”
Avanceña, a nurse by profession, said Duterte has been showing signs of depression as early as the time that he stepped down from the presidency.
She said Duterte has been suffering from irregular sleep. “He can sleep 24 hours straight,” Avanceña shared.
Duterte’s partner said it is important that a family member accompany the former president, saying no one could tell what can happen next because of his advanced age.
Avanceña noted that because of her alleged suspension, Duterte gets a visitor only one hour from Monday to Friday and no one during weekends. The one-hour visitor could be anyone from the defense team.
“What happens to him in the 23 hours that he’s alone?”
