DAVAO CITY – Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, released on Friday, June 20, a sharp and emotionally charged public statement addressing what she described as “misleading and inappropriate actions by an unnamed individual formerly associated with her father.”

Veronica accused the individual of falsely presenting themselves as closely involved with the former President, allegedly attempting to gain personal access to her father by pretending to be his partner. She said the motive appeared to be extracting information for “unkind purposes.”

“Do your 'friends' know about the inappropriate messages you sent PRRD? Well, your family does. To this particular individual, I am telling you that if my mother has been tolerating your behavior, I will not. We have different temperaments, and should you show your audacity, you should approach me,” Veronica said.

The former President’s youngest daughter emphasized that she does not hold any illusions about her father’s complex personality, especially regarding relationships. She said she is old enough to comprehend his sentiments toward romantic partnerships since she knows the Duterte patriarch and who is fooling whom.

“I am not blind to my father’s ways. None of us in the family has tried to raise any facades, acting as if we were pure. I am old enough to comprehend his sentiments toward romantic partnerships, and because I know him, I know who is fooling whom,” she said.

Addressing the Duterte family’s supporters and political vloggers, Veronica called for caution, discernment, and skepticism amid the circulation of alleged misinformation.

She said it is up to them to believe her, but more than anyone, she knows former President Duterte best since she is his daughter, “his blood.”

Veronica said her siblings – Vice President Sara Duterte, Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte, and incoming Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte – and the former President’s close circle have been informed about the situation and are aligned with the truth as she sees it. She added that they stand with it.

She also aimed at the individual’s apparent absence during her recent trip to The Hague. “Hidden from the cameras and hidden from sight. What happened to your guts? The moment I left, and it was only my mother there, you grew the balls again. Why don’t you come back to the Philippines so we can exchange words, you and I? Without your backer, of course,” she said.

Veronica urged the general public to be discerning, critical, and skeptical. She asked everyone to take time to validate the claims they received from these particular persons and not fall for fake news or claims.

The individual allegedly referenced in Veronica’s statement has not responded publicly. The post has sparked widespread speculation online, with many attempting to identify the subject of her claims.