VP’s daughter, Zimmerman keep Duterte company in The Hague

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte said his mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman, and a daughter of Vice President Sara Duterte would take his place in watching over detained former president Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, Netherlands.

The congressman said he is set to return to the Philippines.

In an interview in The Hague and posted on Alvin and Tourism Facebook, congressman Duterte said Zimmerman would be accompanied during her stay by her granddaughter Sharkey, the daughter of the Vice President.

“(Former president Duterte) is OK. I informed him that tomorrow will be my last visit and Mama (Zimmerman) will replace me. He is OK so far. He said he will look (pitiful) so that he will not get beaten,” Duterte said in jest.

He said the former president failed to clarify who owns the house at Doña Luisa Subdivision Phase 1 in Davao City amid its planned sale.

The former president’s partner Honeylet Avanceña put the old house for sale late Saturday, claiming she was no longer comfortable sleeping in it, especially since the former president was taken last March 11 to The Hague over charges of crimes against humanity.

“If the title is under the name of Honeylet and Honeylet decides to sell it, there is no problem with us as we have our own houses,” Rep. Duterte said.

“If our father does not have a home when he is released, he can stay with us and my Mama offered him to stay at her house so that she can monitor his medication, if in God’s grace, he will be freed,” he added, referring to his mother’s house in Ecoland Village.

Zimmerman separated from Duterte in 1998. She filed for a civil annulment and lived with her brother in Metro Manila for a few months, occasionally visiting Davao City where her children were schooling.

The former chief executive did not marry again after separating from Zimmerman.

Congressman Duterte said the message of the former president to the Filipino people remains the same.

“Filipinos should prioritize their own lives and forget about him as he is already old. He is near… As a matter of fact, he removed his jacket to show how thin he is. He is so thin,” he said.

According to Rep. Duterte, the grandchildren of the former president, who turned 80 this year, pitied him.

“My eldest daughter told him to eat a lot. He misses food he usually eats. If only we can bring tuyo (dried fish) but it may not be allowed as it will smell inside the detention area,” Duterte added as he thanked Filipinos for their continued support and prayers for his father. – Edith Regalado