Rodrigo Duterte’s partner accused of hitting cop with phone

Direct Assault case to be filed against Honeylet Avanceña, former president's partner - PNP

A Special Action Force (SAF) personnel receives medical attention amid swelling on her forehead after former President Rodrigo Duterte’s partner, Honeylet Avanceña, allegedly hit her with a cellphone amid tension over the ex-leader’s arrest on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Photo from the PNP PIO)

MANILA, Philippines — An assault case will be filed against Honeylet Avanceña, partner of former President Rodrigo Duterte, by a police officer, whom she allegedly hit with a phone. This was according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The officer hurt was a female Special Action Force (SAF) personnel, said PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo in a press briefing on Thursday, March 13.

Fajardo did not name the female member of the SAF.

“The police that was hurt and had an injury on the head will file a case,” Fajardo said in Filipino.

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When asked what case will be filed, Fajardo replied, “Direct assault.”

The PNP spokesperson added that the officer has yet to disclose when she would file the case against Avanceña as she had just been discharged from an undisclosed hospital.

Fajardo said “tensions and emotions were high” as authorities on Tuesday sought to take Duterte aboard a chartered flight to The Hague, The Netherlands following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against him.

Avanceña was with Duterte as he was held in Villamor Air Base.

“We have videos proving that Miss Honeylet hit one of our female police officers tasked to restrain Ma’am Honeylet and their daughter to get them to step aside for a moment or give way,” Fajardo said.

“She hit our police on the head and it swelled up. The officer was brought to the hospital,” she added.

Authorities, including the PNP, were in heated discussions with Duterte’s camp from when the ex-leader was taken into custody by police at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on Tuesday morning until he was flown out of Villamor later that evening.

“No one was hurt on their side, for the record. No one was hurt, no one filed a complaint that they were hurt,” Fajardo said.

The ICC issued the arrest warrant for Duterte for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his administration’s bloody war on drugs.

The warrant for Duterte’s arrest was received by the Manila bureau of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on Tuesday early morning, according to Malacañang.