MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go posted photos on his Facebook account late Wednesday night showing him and President Rodrigo Duterte seated across each other at an office table full of papers — to squelch a rumor circulating on social media that the chief executive had suffered some medical emergency.
“For those with ill wishes, don’t celebrate yet. Tatay Digong is here. He’s swamped with work,” Go, a former aide of Duterte, said in his caption, which was written in Filipino.
[Original post: “Sa mga may masasamang Hangarin, Wag muna kayo mag celebrate!! Nandito lang si Tatay Digong. Tambak ang trabaho.”]
Hours before he posted the photos, social media was abuzz with speculation about the reason behind Duterte’s absence from the public eye.
In his Facebook post, Go’s photos showed him and the President seated across each other at table, with a copy of a newspaper dated April 7 at one corner.
Duterte was in a grey shirt and Go was in a yellow shirt, which for years has come to symbolize the opposition and their supporters.
“I’m wearing a yellow shirt but that’s DU30!!! I hope we can all just help our beloved President so that we could get past this crisis as united Filipino citizens,” Go said.
[Original post: “Suot ko damit kong dilaw pero DU30 yan!!! Sana tulungan na lang natin ang ating mahal na Pangulo para malagpasan natin ang crisis na ito bilang nagkaka-isang mamayanang Pilipino.”]
Speculations on the president’s health arose again after he canceled his regular public address twice this week.
The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo even went trending on Twitter.