MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Dutere figured in a minor motorcycle accident on Wednesday night, his former aide and now Senator Bong Go said Thursday.
In a message to reporters, Go said Duterte fell off a motorcycle inside the Presidential Security Group (PSG) Compound in Manila Wednesday night.
“Sumemplang sa motor si PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) kagabi habang nagmo-motor…Sa PSG compound,” Go told reporters in a Viber message.
In a separate interview with reporters at the Senate, Go said Duterte rode two motorcycles.
“Kagabi po after namin bumisita sa isang wake sa Heritage, pauwi kami ng Bahay Pagbabago, meron po siyang motor, sabi niya matagal na niya itong gustong sakyan, alam niyo bilang rider po, nami-miss na rin po ng ating Pangulo na masakay ng motor, pinagbabawal po siya ng PSG lumabas dahil for security reasons, kaya sinubukan, iikot ikot siya diyan sa compound ng PSG” Go recalled.
(Last night, after we visited a wake at Heritage (Park), we were on our way home to Bahay Pagbabago, he has a motorcycle. He said it had been a long time since he was able to ride a motorcycle. As a rider, he misses riding motorcycles. The PSG would not allow him to do so outside so he went for a ride inside the PSG compound).
The second motorcycle the President rode was taller than the first one, the senator noted.
“Yung pangalawang motor na sinakyan niya medyo mataas, yung height niya e medyo nahirapan siya. Pagliko, pagbalik niya…biglang sumemplang, medyo natukod niya dito,” Go said while pointing to his left elbow.
(The second one he rode was slightly taller, the height, he was having a bit of trouble. He made a turn and as he coming back, he suddenly fell off. He used his elbow for support).
“Masakit ang balakang (ni Presidente) I’m worried kagabi sabi ko nga kung may iba pa siyang nararamdaman,” he added.
(He felt pain on his hips. I was worried last night. I asked him if he was feeling anything else).
Asked if the President was still able to walk after the motorcycle mishap, Go said Duterte was limping.
“Nakapaglakad. Medyo ano lang, iika-ika. Alam mo si Pangulo hindi magpapahalata yan kung nasasaktan siya,” he said.
(He was able to walk but he was limping slightly. You know the President, even if he was hurt, he would show it).
Duterte, however, has yet to be checked by a doctor, Go said.
“Sabi niya, okay nga lang daw siya,” he said when asked if it was Duterte’s decision not to see a doctor immediately after the incident.
(He said he was okay.)
“Mamaya ipapa-check up ko siya sa doktor,” he added.
(Later, I will have him checked by a doctor).
PSG Commander Brig. Gen. Jose Eriel Niembra confirmed that an accident happened but clarified that the President did not fall off a motorcycle.
“Di naman sumemplang. Sumabit lang 1 tire sa obstruction paglabas [from] garage. It’s a trike (3-wheeled) motorcycle ang gamit niya kaya ‘di naman natumba. [And] masyado mahina patakbo palabas pa lang ng garage,” Niembra said in a text message.
(He did not fall off. One tire got caught in an obstruction when he went out of the garage. What he used was a trike (3-wheeled motorcycle) that’s why it did not fall off. And he was moving slowly when he went out of the garage.)
Duterte attended Wednesday night the Switch On celebration of San Buenaventura Power Ltd. Co’s 500-megawatt (MW) supercritical coal-fired power plant held in Taguig City.
The President also visited the wake of Miguel Barretto, father of actresses Claudine, Marjorie and Gretchen Barretto. /muf