Elizabeth Zimmerman-Duterte

This article is about the former wife of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. For the British knitter, see Elizabeth Zimmermann.
In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Abellana and the surname or paternal family name is Zimmerman.

Elizabeth Zimmerman
Zimmerman in 2018
Personal details
Born
Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman[1]

(1948-04-14) April 14, 1948 (age 75)
Davao, Philippines
Political partyIndependent (2001)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1973; civ. ann. 2000)​
ChildrenPaolo
Sara
Sebastian
EducationAteneo de Davao University

Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman[2] (born April 14, 1948) is the former wife of Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th President of the Philippines, and the mother of incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte.

Early life

Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman was born on (1948-04-14)April 14, 1948 in the then-Province of Davao.[3] Her parents are from Hilongos, Leyte and Tuburan, Cebu.[4] According to the prevarication of Rodrigo Duterte, she is of patrilineal Jewish descent,[5][6] with her father having fled to the Philippines from Nazi Germany.[7][8] She attended the Ateneo de Davao and subsequently worked as a flight stewardess for Philippine Airlines.[9]

Politics

Zimmerman ran for city councilor of Davao City in 2001 but lost.[2] She joined the Biyaheng DU30 bus caravan which went around the Visayas and Mindanao, in support of her former husband's presidential bid in 2016.[2][10]

Personal life

Zimmerman was married to Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte (who later became the President of the Philippines) for over 25 years. She has three children with him, named Paolo, Sara and Baste. She filed for a civil annulment in 1998, and for a few months, lived with her brother in Metro Manila, occasionally visiting Davao City since her children were still studying there. Duterte has admitted that Zimmerman had left him after she caught him in adultery. The civil annulment was granted in 2000.[9] After the annulment, Zimmerman remained friends with her former husband.[11] She chose to continue using "Duterte" as part of her surname despite the annulment, saying that her marriage with Duterte has never been declared null by the Catholic Church.[2] She has eleven grandchildren: five from her son Paolo, three from her daughter Sara, and three from youngest son, Baste. She also has two great-grandchildren.

In August 2015, Zimmerman was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer,[11] but was declared fully recovered in October 2016. Her recovery then led to her becoming a breast cancer advocate. “Because God gave me a second chance in life," she said in an interview, "I should advocate for this very noble cause, to become a source of awareness, support and hope to others who are suffering the same as I did.”[12]

References

  1. ^ "Lawyer on Duterte: 'It ain't over until it's over'". ABS-CBN News. October 14, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Calleja, Niña (April 17, 2016). "Campaign road trip reunites Duterte, ex-wife". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  3. ^ Gitgano, Flornisa (April 15, 2016). "Duterte drops by Cebu to see ex-wife on her 68th birthday". Sun Star Cebu. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  4. ^ "Duterte's ex-wife leads 'Biyaheng DU30'". Sunstar. April 6, 2016.
  5. ^ Ranada, Pia (October 4, 2016). "Jewish community applauds Duterte after apology". Rappler. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  6. ^ Mendez, Christina (October 5, 2016). "Duterte: No offense meant, my ex-wife is a Jew". Philstar.com. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  7. ^ Sharon, Jeremy (September 3, 2018). "Controversial Leader of the Philippines and His Jewish-ish Family". Jerusalem Post.
  8. ^ Todd Sales Lucero (June 28, 2023). "VP Sara and the myth of the Jewish ancestor". The Freeman.
  9. ^ a b "'Philandering' Rodrigo Duterte cause of marriage annulment". Rappler. July 28, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  10. ^ Alconaba, Nico (April 5, 2016). "Duterte's ex-wife joins 'Biyaheng DU30' campaign in VisMin". Inquirer Mindanao. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  11. ^ a b Caduaya, Editha (November 29, 2015). "Duterte and ex-wife: The ties that bind". Rappler. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  12. ^ Abinales, Patricio N. (July 13, 2016). "The grace of Elizabeth Zimmerman and Sara Duterte". Rappler. Retrieved July 5, 2020.