Duterte after absence from public eye: ‘Talagang sinadya ko yun’

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. ALBERTO ALCAIN/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO (FILE)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte addressed the nation after being away during his two-week absence from the public eye, saying he can go home to Davao City if he wants to.

“Noong nawala ako ng ilang araw, talagang sinadya ko yun. Pag kinakalkal mo ako, parang bata, pag lalo mo akong kinakantyawan e mas lalo akong gagana,” Duterte said at the beginning of his taped address to the people on Monday night.

(When  I was out for a few days, I intentionally did that. When you rummage through something about me, like a child, the more you taunt me the more I get interested.)

“Sinabi ko [I say], my residence is the city of Davao and if I want to go home there, on reasonable basis, I can because that is my home. And if I want to be unreasonable about it… ginagawa ko rin yan. Tutal naman yung pampamasahe ko, hindi naman sa gobyerno [I am doing that. The fare I pay doesn’t come from the government, anyway],” he added.

Duterte’s absence from the public eye sparked speculations about his health condition, with some claiming it is deteriorating.

The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo even became a trending topic on Twitter as Filipino netizens questioned his absence from the public eye at the height of the record-high single-day tally of coronavirus cases in the country.

However, over the weekend, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go released an undated photo and video of Duterte playing golf and riding a three-wheeled motorcycle.

JPV