DUTERTE GOES JOGGING, BIKING LATE AT NIGHT; PROVING CRITICS WRONG
Written By: Mart Shalom E. Bernales
Duterte Goes Jogging, Biking Late at Night; Proving Critics Wrong. Amid rumors speculating anew about his health, President Rodrigo R. Duterte went for a late night jog on Malacañang Palace grounds on Friday, April 9.
The rumors about the President’s health originated when he cancelled his scheduled public addresses twice last week, claiming that several Presidential Security Guards tested positive for Covid-19.
Long-time aide to the president and incumbent senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has released photos and a video of the President walking, jogging and riding his bike on the Palace Residences in an effort to clarify that Duterte is doing well as opposed to what the rumors claim.
Go also asked the public to support the President in this time of crisis.
“Mga kababayan ko, malungkot at mahirap maging pangulo sa panahong ito. Suportahan natin si Tatay Digong, ang taong tunay na nagmamahal,” (My fellew countrymen, it is sad and hard to be the president in these trying times. Let us support Tatay Digong, the one who truly loves) Go said in his facebook post.
Maharlika TV, a state-ran station, initially cited that a “reliable source” claimed that Pres. Duterte has cancelled his scheduled public addresses because the 76-year old president suffered from mild stroke.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar denied the said report, tagging it as a form of fake news.
“Huwag magpapaniwala sa Fake News,” Andanar said on Facebook on Wednesday, attaching screenshots of the report by Maharlika TV.
Andanar then assured the public that Duterte is healthy and continues to work to ensure that we can prevent the surge of Covid-19 cases amidst the resurfacing of the #NasaanAngPangulo trend online.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated that the President skipped the Day of Valor rites because the number of Covid cases continue to rise.
“We cannot compromise the health of the President especially now that the Covid-19 cases remain high. We have to ensure not only the health of the president, but also the well-being of the staff and security in charge of the coordination and preparation of the presidential engagement or event,” he said.
Pres. Duterte’s last public activity was witnessed on the 29th of March, wherein he delivered a speech as he witnessed the arrival and turnover of over a million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech.