A week later, the public saw President Rodrigo Duterte at his regular national televised address on Monday night.
According to Duterte, he has no illness that will prevent him from fulfilling his role as president.
Duterte announced this after speculations surfaced on social media about the president’s condition without the continuation of two regular public addresses last week.
His trusted aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, released photos and videos on social media this Sunday, showing Duterte hitting a golf club, riding a motorcycle, and running slightly.
“Kaya ako nakaka-swing ng golf tapos nagmo-motor kasi kaya ko pa,” said Duterte.
“Noong nawala ako ng ilang araw, talagang sinadya ko ‘yon. ‘Pag kinakalkal mo ako, lalo akong… ‘yong parang bata, pagka lalo mo akong kinakantiyawan , lalo akong gagana,” the president explained.
Duterte also lashed out at his critics such as detained Senator Leila de Lima, whom he claimed wanted him dead.
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Duterte to those wishing him dead: ‘Pray harder’
“If you want me to die early, you must pray harder,” he said.
In the same public address Monday night, he said he was ready to just give his vaccine to others.
This is contrary to what he said earlier that he was ready to be vaccinated and experimented with the vaccine against COVID-19.
He later withdrew it and said that if he was vaccinated, he would be at the end of the line.
“Ako magwe-waive ako, magwe-waive ako, kasi 70 and above . . . Sa 70 and above ano ang makuha mo na dream, dream of what? Living until kingdom come? Ako mag-waive ako, kung sino gusto sa slot ko ibigay ko. Wala ako masyado, ako masyado, sa ano… I am not fatalistic actually na kung panahon ko na, if its COVID or ebola o disgrasya, wala ako illusion about life and death if anyone wants to have it, they can have it,” said Duterte.
The president added that it would be better to just give the vaccine to someone who can do more for the country.