Although many former presidential residences in the Philippines have been preserved as heritage sites or transformed into museums that reflect the country’s political and cultural legacy, the longtime Davao City home of former President Rodrigo Duterte is now being put up for sale.
The property, located in the Matina district, had remained vacant since Duterte’s detention by the International Criminal Court in The Hague over alleged crimes against humanity.
His common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, confirmed the decision to sell, citing emotional distress and security concerns.
She revealed that legal advisers had recommended installing surveillance cameras throughout the house, including private areas like the bedroom, which made her uncomfortable staying there.
“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. I cannot sleep there anymore because the lawyers asked us to install CCTV — even inside the bedroom,“ she stated in a radio interview.
While the house has not been officially declared a historical site, its association with Duterte’s political legacy and the dramatic turn of events surrounding his post-presidency could lend it symbolic significance in the future. (ZIA LUNA)
