Photos of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s residence in Davao City being put up for sale have been circulating on social media.
Speculations sparked on Saturday, June 28 after photos showing a “House and lot for sale” sign with contact details posted on the gate of the former president’s house in Doña Luisa Village, Barangay Matina, Davao City circulated on various social media platforms.
Shortly after, Duterte’s longtime partner, Honeylet Avanceña, confirmed with local radio station that house and lot were indeed up for sale.
According to Avanceña, the reason for selling was that she was no longer comfortable to occupy the house, ever since the former president was taken last to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands over charges of crimes against humanity.
“Masakit sa dibdib ko every time I go inside. Ako na lang ang pumapasok diyan. May apat na katulong pero walang amo. We abandoned it after what happened,” she said in a text message to DZRH, as quoted by news outlets.
“I cannot sleep there anymore because the lawyers asked us to install CCTV, even inside the bedroom,“ she added.
The following day, however, the sign has reportedly been removed from the property.
According to a report by The Philippine STAR, it was Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte—youngest son of the former president—who ordered its removal.
His older brother, Davao City First District Representative Paolo Duterte, addressed the matter in an interview posted Monday, June 30, on the Alvin & Tourism Facebook page. The latter had recently visited their father at the ICC Detention Center.
According to Paolo, the former president was firm in his decision not to sell the property, citing its sentimental value as the first house he purchased with his own money.
“Tinanong namin siya kung ibebenta raw ba ang bahay, hindi raw talaga. Ang bahay raw na ‘yan ay ang pinakauna niyang bahay, at ayaw niya talagang ibenta na,” Paolo said in the interview, as translated by ABS-CBN News.
He also clarified that the house in question is different from Avanceña’s own residence.
“Ang kay Ma’am Honeylet, mayroon daw siyang sariling malaking bahay. Hindi ‘yan na bahay na kanyang tinitirhan,” Paolo added, further dispelling rumors of any internal family dispute over property.
He also relayed the former president’s message to his Filipino supporters: “Nagpapasalamat pa rin siya sa inyong suporta. Huwag niyo na raw siyang problemahin masyado dahil kung yun na raw talaga ang kanyang destiny, ‘yun na ‘yon.”
The STAR report further noted that none of Duterte’s children—Sebastian, Paolo, or Vice President Sara Duterte—have lived in the Doña Luisa home the former president once shared with his partner.
Additionally, Vice President Sara has reportedly expressed her wish for the house to be preserved, not sold, proposing instead that it be turned into a “landmark” for the public to visit and learn about the former president’s personal life.
