QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) – Malacañang on Tuesday, June 13, said that President Rodrigo Duterte was in ‘excellent health’ after reportedly not feeling well because of his “brutal” schedule that saw him visit various military camps in Mindanao and wakes of government troops and civilians killed in Marawi City.
“The President is actually in excellent health, except for the fact that his schedule had been brutal,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
The statement was made after concerns were raised over the President’s health after he failed to attend the celebration of Independence Day on Monday, June 12.
Malacañang said that the President’s official schedule was canceled but he is not hiding any illness.
“Frankly, you don’t need medical advice in order to tell you that you should rest. Your body tells you that.” Abella said.
“He is resting these days. The appointments given to us are calibrated. They’re given daily. There are some long-time appointments, but, as of today, we know that he has private time,” Abella added.
Malacañang also said that the President is only resting.
“So I think we need to allow him a few (days of) rest. He was actually on top of the situation; however, he also needed rest. I mean, you have to credit the President considering everything — that he has been actually honoring the military dead, the civilian dead, and he has been actually going around,” he added.
Since the start of the Marawi siege, President Duterte has been attending and visiting military installations in Mindanao.
He also visited the wakes of military men who have been killed in the clashes between the government and the local terrorist group.
He also went to hospitals to visit soldiers and policemen wounded in action during the Marawi clashes.
The night before Independence Day, the President even led the arrival honors for the Marawi soldiers killed in action when their remains arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
He then proceeded to the Libingan ng mga Bayani Mortuary and the Philippine Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City to condole with the relatives of the slain government troopers.