DAVAO CITY -- Mayor Rodrigo Duterte denied on Sunday reports he asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down.

Duterte was an opposition stalwart before he became an Arroyo ally.

"I never said that," Duterte said over his Sunday television program here.

The reports, mostly over the radio, were prompted by Duterte's absence during Ms Arroyo's two visits to the Davao region in 2008.

During his television program, Duterte said he missed the President's two visits because he was on vacation during those times.

"I was not there because I was on vacation," he said.

Pressed on his stand about the ZTE-National Broadband corruption scandal, Duterte said he would rather wait for the result of the investigations being conducted, including the Senate inquiry.

"When I was sworn into office, my blind loyalty went to you -- not to the president or to anybody. My decision will be for you. What I will say in the next few days is based on what I know is the truth… and I will act accordingly," he said.

"I will cross the bridge when I get there (but) I am not ready to demand her resignation," he added.

Duterte said the ZTE investigations should also be impartial and that the President should have a chance to say her piece.

"I also would want to give others a chance, especially the President. Allow her space to say her piece that it (NBN-ZTE corruption allegation) is not true," he said.

But while asking for a fair treatment of the President, Duterte said he was not defending her.

"There is no need to defend her. If she is telling the truth, what is there to defend?" Duterte said.

He said he wanted the truth to come out and he believed no amount of cover up could prevent it.

"The truth will always come out. If you suppress this from coming out, people might just decide to get the truth for themselves. This is dangerous because the students are there, and the left…" Duterte said.

Reports from Dennis Santos, Charlie Señase and Jeffrey Tupas, Mindanao Bureau