Senator Chiz Escudero defended President Rodrigo Duterte against the criticisms received by the Filipino leader from his critics because of his absence in the public eye for almost five days.
According to the senator, a President who’s having a little break from the grueling hours of work is not against the constitution.
He also said that it’s not an issue for him that the President didn’t appear to the public for almost five days because there’s no law that would prohibit a public official to take some vacation or rest.
“Hindi krimen ang magbakasyon ang pangulo, hindi porke’t pangulo ka hindi na pwedeng magbakasyon at magpahinga,” he said.
Escudero also explained that if the President was in a vacation or don’t have any public engagements to attend, it doesn’t mean that Duterte is not doing his job as the leader of the country.
He also said that if the President have a serious illness, the constitution clearly stated that Malacañang must inform the public about his real health condition.
“Maliwanag ang probinsyon ng Konstitusyon at ito’y alam ng mga nakapaligid sa Pangulo na kapag seryoso ang karamdaman ng pangulo ay dapat ipagbigay alam iyan sa publiko,” he said.
But the senator said that the President don’t need to inform the public about his health if there’s nothing serious about his condition, like what Duterte always said during his speeches.
“Ngunit kung ordinaryong sakit at hindi seryoso ay hindi na kailangan ipagbigay alam sa publiko,” he added.
“Seventy years old na ako. Yung lolo mo, tatay mo, at 70-years-old, alam mo sakit nila? Yun rin ang sakit ko,” President Rodrigo Duterte said during one of his public speeches.
“Ang sakit ko po, just to make it clear, talagang yung nagkaproblema ako, it’s Verger’s Disease. It is a constriction of the blood vessel for a person who, yung nicotine. Tapos yung isa, well, of course, sa inom. Kagaya mo rin, yung Barrett Esophigial thing, erosion dahil sa inom,” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s absence since the Independence Day sparked rumors that he suffered in a serious illness that forced him to stop his appearance to the public.
Members of the opposition urged President Rodrigo Duterte to explain his absence in the public eye since June 12 and they believe that he must state his real health condition.
During Duterte’s absence in public, Malacañang explained that President Rodrigo Duterte was only tired and need some rest to rejuvenate himself.
On Friday, during President Rodrigo Duterte’s first public appearance since June 12, he debunked the rumors circulated by his critics that he’s in coma.
Duterte joked: “Nasa kama lang ako. Kayo lang nagsabi na-coma ako… Wrong spelling man ‘yan… Kung na-coma ako, magtindig kaya ako para mamut*ngin*?”
“My state of health is what you see is what you get. I do not need anybody to ask me where I’m going. Kapag hindi niyo ko nakita ng limang araw, edi patay na” he added.
