President Rodrigo Duterte. RENE LUMAWAG / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
Amid the almost incessant speculations about President Rodrigo Duterte’s health, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday assured the public that the President is in good shape and such rumor is “100 percent” not true.
Duterte’s trusted aide even said that he would lay down his own life to prove that the Chief Executive was not admitted to a hospital.
Speculations on Duterte’s health resurfaced after he skipped his scheduled event with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) in Malacañang on Wednesday.
“Walang katotohanan na-admit PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte). Hindi yan totoo 100% po. Itataya ko ang buhay ko dyan, hindi totoo yan,” Go told Palace reporters in a text message.
(It’s not true that President Duterte was admitted to the hospital. It’s 100 percent not true. I would put my life on the line to prove that it’s not true.)
Go noted that the President would have a “public appearance” on Thursday afternoon and added that Duterte just got tired after his visit in Catarman, Tacloban the other day.
“Antay lang natin mamaya may public appearance siya. Kahapon naman private meeting lang siya dahil pagod na pagod siya noong isang gabi, diba galing kami sa Catarman, Tacloban late na kami nakauwi,” he said.
(Let’s wait for his public appearance later. He had a private meeting yesterday so he was exhausted because we came from Catarman, Tacloban and we came back late.)
Malacañang initially did not provide any details on why the President was absent during the Pagcor event.
However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told INQUIRER.net Wednesday night that the President was just in Bahay Pangarap, the official Presidential residence, and having his “private time.” /je
READ: Duterte skips Pagcor event in Malacañang; Roque says he’s on ‘private time’