(Eagle News)—President Rodrigo Duterte skipped an event in Leyte on Friday, Feb. 1, because he had a slight fever, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Monday, Feb. 4.
According to Panelo, there was however no cause for alarm about the news coming from former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go as Duterte was still in the pink of health.
“He may have felt that his body was not up to performing any activity that day so he canceled all his activities. He preferred to rest,” Panelo said.
Duterte’s absence at the peace and order summit prompted some to speculate he had died.
The President himself joked about these rumors in a Facebook video posted on Honeylet Avanceña’s account, in which he called on the public to pray for “the eternal repose” of his soul.
Panelo gave the assurance a medical bulletin would be issued if President Duterte had a serious illness.
