President Duterte skipped the 119th anniversary celebration of the declaration of Philippine independence at the Rizal Park in Manila yesterday.
Vice President Leni Robredo led the flag-raising and the wreath-laying ceremonies at Rizal Park with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano representing Duterte.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella announced that Duterte would not be able to attend the ceremony 10 minutes before it started and did not say why the Chief Executive was unable to come.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was also clueless about why Duterte decided not to show up at the event.
But Cayetano said Duterte was not feeling well and that he needed to rest as the President was only able to get three hours of sleep after monitoring developments in Marawi City.
“The President has been working 24/7, meeting the troops, meeting the commanders, and then late last night, visiting the wounded and mga namatay,” Cayetano said. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)