Duque believes Roque really contracted COVID-19

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque holds an online press briefing while on self-quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. Screengrab from RTVM

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III believes it to be true that presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has COVID-19.

“Well, that is what he (Roque) claims so I believe him. He said that in our Monday meeting with the President and the President had asked him straight and he said yes, he has COVID. So he is undergoing quarantine but thankfully he is asymptomatic. He sounds very healthy,” Duque said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if he believes it to be true that Roque has COVID-19.

Duque was asked the question in the context of Roque declining to show his positive COVID-19 test results in an online press briefing on Tuesday.

The Palace official said he does not think it is important to show his test results in public.

Asked why he thinks Roque refused to show his COVID-19 test results, Duque said: “I am going to ask him the same question when I see him.”

“What I know is that as soon as he found out, he already quarantined himself,” added Duque. “You know a lot of these are speculations. I cannot answer you. Perhaps the best person to answer that is he himself.”

Asked further if he will demand to see Roque’s positive COVID-19 test result, the Health Secretary said: “We can have that looked into soon after this [interview]. I am going to call him up and ask him personally.”

Roque announced on Monday that he tested positive for COVID-19. He said he received his positive result when he was already in his office in Malacañang, but assured that others were not exposed as he was alone in his office.

According to Roque, he was tested for COVID-19 on Sunday as part of health protocols before his scheduled meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte last Monday.

/MUF