Coronavirus rumours prompt Duterte to address citizens in Facebook video

Manila has been bubbling with rumours about the president’s health, prompting him to address citizens in a Facebook live video on Monday evening

In the same video, the president reminds the public to wash hands, wear face masks and stay at home

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: Zuma Press

Published: 8:45pm, 17 Aug 2020Updated: 9:59am, 18 Aug 2020

Manila has been bubbling with rumours over the whereabouts and health of President Rodrigo Duterte, prompting him to address citizens in a Facebook live video on Monday evening.

It started with a post on Facebook on Sunday morning about a medical jet from Singapore landing in Davao City – Duterte’s hometown – and then taking off again, apparently on a return flight. The original post, by Josef Leroi Garcia, did not mention Duterte but as the story was shared on social media many users began claiming the president was on board.

Reacting to the story on Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte’s health was fine; the president was not in Singapore and he would appear later that night in a televised cabinet meeting to announce whether the lockdown of Metro Manila would continue.

Roque then made a cryptic remark to reporters that Duterte was in “perpetual isolation”, was undergoing testing for Covid-19 and would hold a “virtual meeting” with his cabinet.

Opposition figure and former solicitor general Florin Hilbay tweeted: “Perpetual isolation in the midst of a pandemic is incapacity to perform the functions of the office. A true leader will not selfishly hide while the nation is suffering.”

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