President Rodrigo Duterte canceled his visit to Palo, Leyte, for this year’s “Barangay Summit on Peace and Order” on Feb. 1, citing health reasons.
His trusted aide Christopher Go told reporters the President was “not feeling well,” but did not elaborate.
Duterte was scheduled to address about 3,000 village officials across Eastern Visayas at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo at 4 p.m.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte’s absence in Leyte was not something to be worried about.
“Hindi naman superman ang pangulo at tulad ng iba, nakakaranas rin ito ng paminsan-minsang ‘di magandang pakiramdam, kaya hindi na dapat pang pagmulan ito ng pag-aalala,” Panelo said in Manila.
“Sa katunayan, dapat pang papurihan ang Pangulo, dahil alam nito kung kailan dapat magkansela ng event at ipahinga ang kaniyang katawan.”