The once-mighty Duterte camp is now unraveling at the seams—and this time, it’s not just political gossip. It’s an all-out civil war.
In a shocking revelation, Honeylet Avanceña—longtime partner of former President Rodrigo Duterte—announced that she has been barred from visiting Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague. The bombshell? The order allegedly came not from international authorities, but from Duterte’s own legal defense team, reportedly with the quiet backing of key Duterte family members.
“Five minutes bago ako matapos [sa oras ng pagbisita], sinabihan ako, isu-suspend daw ako. Ang sabi pa nga ni PRRD sa lalaking nagsabi no’n, ‘You cannot do that’,” Avanceña said in an emotionally charged interview with Boldyak TV,
Avanceña claimed she was accused of “unauthorized legal conversations” about Duterte’s case—a charge she vehemently denies. She also criticized lead defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman for forbidding her from consulting with other lawyers, calling it a form of legal isolation that could endanger Duterte’s position.
“This isn’t just about visitation. This is about control,” Avanceña said. “They want to silence people who don’t fall in line.”
She continued, “Sabi ko, ‘I don’t know anything about the case. [Nicholas] Kaufman is not discussing about the case. You know that, Mr. Kaufman. I have not asked a single paper from you on whatever it is that you are doing. So I cannot talk about the case’.”
“To tell you honestly, hindi niya ma-point out kung ano. Wala siyang binigay sa aking notice. Wala akong natanggap na kahit anong warning bago hindi tuluyang payagang makabisita kay Duterte,” she added.
But the real story isn’t the ICC—it’s the implosion of the Duterte power bloc. Sources close to the former president say tensions have been simmering for months. The three Duterte children in government—Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte—have allegedly formed a united front, increasingly pushing Honeylet and her allies to the sidelines.
The siblings, insiders claim, see themselves as the rightful torchbearers of the Duterte legacy. Honeylet, despite her years by Duterte’s side during his presidency, is now being painted as an outsider—an inconvenient figure in the siblings’ bid to consolidate power ahead of 2028.
And the rift isn’t staying behind closed doors.
The online DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporters) community—once a fearsome and unified propaganda machine—is now a battlefield of bitter factions. Veteran figures like Harry Roque and Maharlika have thrown their support behind Honeylet, accusing Duterte’s legal team of being compromised and manipulated by “internal traitors.”
Meanwhile, a new generation of pro-Sara bloggers—led by influencers like Kiffy Chu—are spinning a different narrative: Honeylet is overstepping, meddling in matters beyond her station, and destabilizing the camp during a critical legal battle.
Even Duterte loyalists are growing uneasy.
“The house is on fire,” said one longtime DDS organizer who asked not to be named. “We used to follow one voice. Now there are too many—and they’re turning on each other.”
Analysts believe the chaos could affect the broader political landscape. With Duterte’s legal case moving forward in The Hague, and Sara Duterte rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential bid, the struggle over who controls the Duterte narrative is intensifying. Honeylet’s sidelining may just be the beginning of a deeper, darker battle within the former president’s inner circle.
And with Duterte himself cut off from public view and unable—or unwilling—to mediate, the question remains: who’s really in charge?
One thing is certain—the once-untouchable Duterte brand is cracking from the inside. And the public is watching every fracture.