President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday debunked rumors of him going to Singapore over the weekend for a “medical evacuation,” saying he would not hide his travel history from the public.
The rumors came about after Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced he had tested positive anew for Covid-19.
Malacañang quickly released a statement denying the alleged Singapore trip, saying Duterte had been in his Davao home over the weekend.
“Bakit ko taguin, hindi naman ako salbahe sa paggamit ng pera ninyo. At bakit isikreto ko? I am under no obligation to travel in secret and not telling the republic at all,” he said during his late-night address.
Duterte asserted that as a Filipino citizen, his right to travel is guaranteed.
“If guaranteed sa inyo, guaranteed din sa akin. I do not have to hide it. So stop this nonsense about me going to Singapore,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go posted a picture of Duterte with his partner Honeylet Avaceña, daughter Kitty and another child along with an Aug. 17 newspaper proof of Duterte’s stay in Davao.
Duterte also appeared in a Facebook live video hosted by Go, where he said he was in Davao all along.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque also said there was no need to worry about Duterte’s health as he was in “perpetual isolation” and was being tested regularly for Covid-19. John Ezekiel J. Hirro