Honeylet Avanceña defends Duterte at launch of drug rehab program

Ciellito “Honeylet” Avanceña speaks in Camp Crame on Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, at the launch of Life After Tokhang, a community-based recovery and wellness program for drug users. (Photo from the the PNP-PIO)

President Rodrigo Duterte’s common-law wife, Cielito “Honeylet” Avanceña, turned emotional in a speaking engagement at Camp Crame on Monday as she addressed the critics of her partner.

“Alam niyo when he ran [for president], his intention was kahit konti was to make a difference for his country. Wala siyang personal ambition, but the climb has been too daunting. It’s like a struggle for him,” she said in her speech at the launch of “Life After Tokhang,” a community-based recovery and wellness program for drug users.

“I assure you he’s going to step down the soonest time the federal government is established. Everything is set up already. Baba ho yan,” she said.

Avanceña served as the guest speaker at the event, which she talked about drugs and the President for about 30 minutes.

“Alam niyo yung umaakyat kayo, hindi kayo makaakyat kasi maraming bumabatak… How I wish that federalism will be established soon, kung pwede lang bukas,” she said.

Duterte’s common-law wife also talked about her controversial trip to New York City upon the invitation of United States first lady Melania Trump.

In what she described as a “socialization gathering,” she said she was at Table 3 and was seated beside a representative from Homeland Security, while the US first lady was at Table 2.

Avanceña said she took this opportunity to talk about the crisis in Marawi and how it’s related to drugs, as her subtle way of asking for help.

“I was trying to help out in my own little way, yung gobyerno natin, to tell the people what’s happening in our country,” she said.

“Drugs has been funding terrorism,” she added. “Doon sila kumukuha ng pera… That’s how well-funded they are… They say a soldier will fire one bullet and the enemy can fire back five times more. Di niyo na realize grabeng pera ang dumadating sa kanila. Ang kalaban nila ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas.”

Avanceña also defended the President’s drug campaign, saying that her partner would never order to have drug addicts killed.

“If at all, the desire of the PNP to conduct Tokhang is to kill drug addicts, why put up wellness recovery programs?” she asked.

She also questioned why past presidents did not focus on eradicating drugs.

“With all due respect why is that the past presidents have not addressed illegal drugs as much as the present administration, not as hard as this administration?” she said. “Maybe because they know how extreme, how heavy, the worst adjective you can use, ang bigat ng suliranin nila. And they know how this is a multi-million industry. I think lang ho ha. Hindi ako sila.”

/atm