President Rodrigo Duterte blows a candle on rice to mark his 76th birth anniversary on Sunday, Mrch 29, 2021. (Photo from the Facebook acccount of Sen. Christopher Go)
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte did not pretend to be poor but only showed how simple he is during the celebration of his birth anniversary, Malacañang said Monday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President did not receive guests for his birth anniversary celebration except for his immediate family.
“The controversy was whether or not supposedly the President pretended to be poor. I don’t think the President ever pretended to be poor,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.
“He has always been known as simple and that is why he did not have guests on his birthday,” he added.
On Sunday, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go released photos of Duterte sitting in front of a serving of rice with a single candle on top, supposedly purporting that the President is having only a simple meal for his birthday.
Another social media post that went viral, however, showed that the table was laden with food, including a whole “lechon” or roasted pig.
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite took a swipe at the President for “acting poor” in his birthday photos.
Roque, however, said the food served during the President’s birthday “did not violate any sense of decency.”
“There may have been food served for special occasions but that did not violate any sense of decency. There was no extravagant show of wealth because the President was in a t-shirt and in shorts and celebrated only with his family,” he said.
“It is crab mentality really for anyone to suggest that the President was pretending. No, the President never pretends. He is known for his authenticity. He has simple celebrations and I think that’s what happened on his birthday,” Roque added.