Nelson Morales

Former president Rodrigo Duterte's common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1754298850519duterte 08042025.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former president Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.  "/><span class="fr-inner">Former president Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and his lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.  </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Rodrigo Duterte’s legal counsel, Nicholas Kaufman has refused to comment on the former president’s common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña’s claim she has been barred from visiting him at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center in The Hague.</p><p>“For judicial reasons and out of respect for family privacy, I am not able and, further, have no need nor reason to comment on the veracity of Honeylet Avanceña’s allegations concerning what she claims is her denial of access to the ICC detention centre,” Kaufman said in a statement Monday.</p><p>&quot;Contrary to Ms Avanceña’s claims, visiting rights are not determined by Counsel but rather by the detention centre authorities with the intervention of the judges when necessary,” he added.</p><p>Avanceña, in an interview uploaded by YouTuber Boldyak TV on Friday, claimed that she has been barred from visiting the former president after discussing his ongoing case with him in a phone call. </p><p>“Nung pagbisita ko nung hapon na iyon, 5 minutes pagtapos ng visitation time namin, sinabihan ako doon na nung July 19 daw na phone conversation namin, meron daw akong sinabi about the case,” Avanceña said.</p><p>She claimed that Kaufman had not shared with her any information regarding Duterte’s case, and alleged him of causing her a visiting ban.</p><p>“I have nothing against you. Pero please do not deprive us [from] asking legal opinions from other lawyers. We acknowledge you as his lawyer,” she said toward Kaufman.</p><p>“I know you are protecting your practice. I don’t know if you’re trying to prove something pero kami, we are concerned about the life of this man,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/3/drug-war-victims-lawyer-hows-of-potential-duterte-release-more-important-than-where-1622" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Drug war victims&#x27; lawyer: Hows of potential Duterte release ‘more important’ than where</a></div><p>Avanceña, in the video, further called on the former president’s lawyer to “have mercy on Duterte,” whose health, she claimed, has been deteriorating.</p><p>She said: “Maawa ka naman… I am 110% sure na may depression na yan. Ngayon dine-deprive mo ako na mabisita sya, na at least may makausap siay na family.”</p><p>Kaufman, meanwhile, said “the former President’s health is being adequately managed and overseen by all those currently in daily contact with him”. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/lawyer-says-duterte-can-possibly-return-to-ph-in-interim-release-2259">Lawyer says Duterte can &#x27;possibly&#x27; return to PH in interim release</a></div><p>Duterte was arrested on March 11  on his arrival from Hong Kong at the request of the ICC as part of its probe into his &quot;war on drugs&quot; that defined his presidency.</p><p>The ICC warrant for Duterte&#x27;s arrest said that as president, the 80-year-old Duterte allegedly created, funded, and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.</p><p>He was brought to The Hague in the Netherlands on the same day he was arrested.</p><p>Duterte on March 14 appeared via video link before ICC judges. He is set to attend a September 23 hearing to confirm the charges against him. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/3/duterte-defense-s-decision-not-to-call-witnesses-has-no-impact-on-us-conti-1703">Duterte defense&#x27;s decision not to call witnesses has &#x27;no impact on us&#x27; -- Conti</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qXBleBgGKkA??si=T8ugffvJKF_4-Cpa&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"Contrary to Ms Avanceña’s claims, visiting rights are not determined by Counsel but rather by the detention centre authorities with the intervention of the judges when necessary,” lawyer Nicholas Kaufman said Monday. </p>

"Contrary to Ms Avanceña’s claims, visiting rights are not determined by Counsel but rather by the detention centre authorities with the intervention of the judges when necessary,” lawyer Nicholas Kaufman said Monday.

Kaufman says ICC detention center officials, not lawyers, decide visiting rights for Duterte

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Kaufman says ICC detention center officials, not lawyers, decide visiting rights for Duterte

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 04, 2025 05:14 PM PHT

Read More:

Nicholas Kaufman

Honeylet Avanceña

Rodrigo Duterte

ICC

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