Lagman: Public must know Duterte’s whereabouts

Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman. INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte should be transparent regarding his whereabouts unless prohibited due to security reasons, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said Tuesday.

“Where the President travels, whether inside or outside the country, for economic, health or leisure is the nation’s concern, irrespective of the utilization of public funds,” Lagman said in a statement.

Lagman made the remark following rumors that Duterte flew to Singapore over the weekend for emergency treatment.

Duterte denied this, stressing that those spreading the rumors should not care and that he had the right to travel just like any other Filipino.

But Lagman said that Duterte “must appreciate rather than demean this concern” from the public.

“Duterte is the Chief Executive, not an ordinary citizen, whose whereabouts must be fully transparent except for exigencies of security,” Lagman said.

“The public is entitled to know or must be informed of the Head of State’s activities which impact on the peoples’ interest and welfare,” he added.

In a taped address Monday night, Duterte assured that he would never use public funds for travel or “private undertaking.”

“If I want to go to Singapore, I will go to Singapore. If it is a private undertaking or if I want to attend the burial of a friend or pay a visit to the wake, I will go there. Fly in, fly out,” Duterte said

“If I want to leave, I will leave. I don’t have to keep it a secret because I will not be using any government funds. That’s not my habit,” he went on, speaking partly in Filipino.

JPV