President Rodrigo Duterte. (File photo from Malacañang)
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte recounted on Monday, two weeks after being absent from the public eye, how he got exposed to someone with COVID-19
He did not stay in Malacaãng when he found out that he was exposed to a COVID-positive staff member, he said in his taped weekly “Talk to the People” briefing.
“There’s a house that was turned into like a conference room. It’s so big, and there are no people there. Now, it’s good that my wife arrived. When I got there, I got [exposed to] COVID. So they watched over me,” he said in Filpino.
According to him, the staffer was concerned about his health as he had an accident while riding a motorcycle. Duterte said he had a slightly misaligned lumbar area, — or his lower back. So he was staying in a place built by Sen. Christopher Go, his longtime aide.
In his room, he said he was surrounded by his guards.
The staffer who had COVID-19 might have also skipped mandatory quarantine, Duterte said.
He did not identify the staffer, an Ilocano.
“Many soldiers who are Ilocano went out, but they did not quarantine. When I came from there, I was exposed,” Duterte said.
But when he had a checkup on returning to Malacañang, he said he tested negative for the coronavirus.
“It does not show anything, but my doctor brought me along. I had a checkup and was injected with I don’t know — because my blood was thick. Even when I was checked for COVID-19, nothing — because my vaccination was complete,” he said,
He then urged the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Earlier, Malacañang said Duterte had been exposed to a COVID-positive individual on Jan. 28, and he immediately underwent quarantine.
He tested negative for the virus on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 and was able to discontinue his quarantine by Feb. 3.
Malacañang assured that the President remains “healthy” for his age, which is 76.
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