Duterte relaxes, sings with friends at Talisay resort

BACOLOD CITY—President Duterte took some time off to relax with his friends in a private resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Wednesday night.

It was a night of good food, singing and casual conversations with the Yanson family, who owns Vallacar Transit Inc., one of the biggest bus companies in the country.

He sang “To all the girls I’ve loved before” and vowed to bring in his next visit a pianist who would accompany him.

Mr. Duterte, who was with Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, arrived at the Bacolod-Silay Airport past 10 p.m. on Wednesday from Iloilo where he had several speaking engagements.

They proceeded to the private beach resort of the Yansons at Barangay Bubog, Talisay and left at 5:23 a.m. on Thursday.

The President flew back to Manila to visit the wake of a chief of police who was killed in action in an operation versus illegal drugs.

The Yanson matriarch, Olivia, led her family in welcoming her very important visitor.

With her were all her children and some members of the third generation as well as Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson who is a close friend of the family.

It was his third nocturnal visit to the Yansons.

“It was the usual, when he comes here he has dinner with the family. Obviously, it’s a way of stress relieving. That’s the way I look at it. Since he’s very comfortable with this family considering that this family does not ask for anything. He feels that they welcome him there because of their friendship and not because of the needs of the family,” said Lacson.

“And also there is an open invitation that anytime he can drop by and he said that he will continue to do so. As long as he is within the vicinity of Negros Occidental, he will make it a point to come here,” he added.

To show how President Duterte enjoyed his private time with the Yansons, the vice governor said the country’s chief executive promised to bring his own pianist during his next visit.

“The President explained that because he is not a singer, the pianist should know how to follow him,” Lacson said.

“It only tells me he is very comfortable. He is very happy. Maybe when he is here, no problems are talked about,” he added.

Lacson said President Duterte did not talk about Negros Occidental politics. He only spoke about his favorite topic – drugs.

“He said it is a problem that is hard to lick but for as long as he is president he will continue what he was doing,” Lacson said.

He noticed that the President was not a bit sleepy even if he was up until the wee hours of the morning.

“I guess that’s his body clock,” Lacson said.