Kitty pens message to detained father

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, wrote a personal message to her father on Saturday, offering reassurance as he remains detained amid ongoing legal proceedings.

In a Facebook post shared through Honeylet Avanceña, Duterte’s domestic partner and Kitty’s mother, the former presidential daughter expressed longing for her father after a brief conversation during a recent visit.

“I am devastated that we only got to talk for a short while yesterday,” she wrote. “I would have loved to hear more about your day, though I do understand that you had to attend to my mama Honeylet’s visit.”

Kitty shared her weekend plans, including a trip home to Davao and a beach outing with her younger sister Mira. “She has also been quite sad lately… that is why I thought of something to cheer her up,” she said.

The young Duterte encouraged her father to remain hopeful, pointing to the efforts of their family and legal team. “Your eldest daughter, Inday Sara, has everything strategically planned. You have to trust her, because she is very clever.”

The letter ended with a tender plea: “Talk, hum and sing to me by the window. I am always watching out for your voice, my special one… I will be waiting on the other side of our bed, dada Rody.”

Duterte has been detained at the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen, The Hague, after being arrested on 11 March at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The former president is facing allegations of crimes against humanity, specifically murder, allegedly committed during his controversial anti-drug campaign between November 2011 and March 2019. While official government records cite 7,000 drug war-related deaths, human rights groups estimate the toll to be closer to 30,000.

On 12 June, Duterte’s defense team filed a request for interim release to an undisclosed country that has agreed to host him under conditions imposed by the Court. His lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, argued Duterte is not a flight risk and has no access to confidential information that would imperil proceedings.