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<figure class="op-social"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OmQJTQbsfRE?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" width="510"></iframe></figure>DAVAO CITY - Cielito &#x27;Honeylet&#x27; Avanceña, the common-law wife of Rodrigo Duterte, has taken up the cudgels for the president-elect who has received criticisms over his recent comments on media killings and his catcalling.&quot;Misunderstood na naman talaga siya. Oo, always,&quot; Avanceña told ABS-CBN News.Duterte&#x27;s spokespersons earlier this week defended the Davao City mayor, saying he was just again &quot;taken out of context, misinterpreted and misunderstood&quot; when he said that many journalists in the Philippines are killed for being corrupt.&quot;Kaya namamatay kasi karamihan diyan nabayaran na. They take sides or sobrahan ang atake, getting personal,&quot; Duterte said in a press conference Tuesday.Peter Laviña said Duterte&#x27;s remarks were only based on his own assessment of members of the media killed in Davao City &quot;and not on the national scale.&quot;Incoming presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo added that Duterte did not back violence against journalists with his statements.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/01/16/dutertes-media-killings-statement-taken-out-of-context">&#x27;Duterte&#x27;s media killings statement taken out of context&#x27;</a>This was echoed by Avanceña, who said Duterte does not wish anyone in the media harm.&quot;Na-misunderstood lang naman siya. Sa puso niya, he would never wish the media that something bad will happen. Ano lang yun sa kanya, parang nag-set lang siya ng statement, pero sa puso niya never niyang iwi-wish,&quot; she said.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation2/04/25/honeylet-042516.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Honeylet Avancena gets a kiss from Veronica, her 11-year-old daughter with Davao Mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte after the PiliPinas debates. Thea Alberto-Masakayan, ABS-CBN News</div></figcaption></figure></div>Duterte, in another press conference Thursday, said he will not apologize over his statements as he was just telling the truth.&quot;Huwag na tayong magbolahan, alam niyo yan. [There are] vultures pretending to be journalists. Ang problema dito, every son of a b**** who claim to be journalists make money, extorting money from people,&quot; he said.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/02/16/duterte-blasts-vultures-pretending-to-be-journalists">Duterte blasts &#x27;vultures pretending to be journalists&#x27;</a>The president-elect has also received flak for catcalling GMA-7 reporter Mariz Umali, which upset her husband, fellow reporter Raffy Tima, who described Duterte&#x27;s act as being &quot;wrong in so many levels.&quot;&quot;I expected that from a Mayor Duterte. I know his reputation well enough not to be shocked by it, but that does not make it right,&quot; Tima said. &quot;Then again, that&#x27;s Mayor Duterte.&quot;Duterte, however, insisted that what he did is part of freedom of expression, and that whistling is not sexual harassment.&quot;(whistles) You know, you don&#x27;t have any business stopping me every time I (whistles). That is a freedom of expression,&quot; he said.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/02/16/duterte-whistling-is-not-sexual">Duterte: Whistling is not sexual</a>Avanceña maintained that Duterte has no intention of disrespecting any woman.She stressed, however, that people can expect a &quot;transformation&quot; of Duterte once he has taken his oath on June 30.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/02/16/change-coming-duterte-vows-to-be-presidential">Change coming: Duterte vows to be &#x27;presidential&#x27;</a>&quot;Ano talaga yung bunganga niya, miski nung unang panahon, ganyan na talaga yung bunganga niya. Pero I believe him, meron siyang mga transformation once he has taken his oath. Hayaan niyo muna,&quot; she said.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation2/06/03/duterte-daughter-060316.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Duterte with daughter, Kitty (middle), during the campaign trail. Photo from the official facebook page of Rodrigo Duterte</div></figcaption></figure></div>Duterte and Avanceña have a daughter, Veronica. - Report from Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

DAVAO CITY - Cielito 'Honeylet' Avanceña, the common-law wife of Rodrigo Duterte, has taken up the cudgels for the president-elect who has received criticisms over his recent comments on media killings and his catcalling. 

Take it from Honeylet: Duterte doesn't wish harm on journalists

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Take it from Honeylet: Duterte doesn't wish harm on journalists

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 03, 2016 11:37 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 04, 2016 01:04 AM PHT

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Honeylet Avanceña

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