Philippine President withdraws from public duties

(Baonghean.vn)- On June 15, the spokesman of the President of the Philippines announced that President Rodrigo Duterte decided to withdraw from public work this week because he felt tired and needed to "recharge", in the context that government forces are fighting rebel forces in the southern Philippines in the biggest crisis since he took power.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: AFP

“He needs some time off to recharge,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters. According to Abella, Duterte decided to take some time off because of his demanding schedule since the outbreak of fighting between government forces and rebels, which includes regular visits to military camps and hospitals to support soldiers.

Mr. Abella said there was no date set for President Duterte to resume his public duties, although he insisted that the President was in good health. Since his election campaign last year, President Duterte has repeatedly denied that he has cancer.

Duterte, 72, has not been seen in public since June 11 and did not appear as planned at the Independence Day celebrations in Manila on June 12, sparking speculation about his health. He was last seen in the southern city of Cagayan de Oro, where he visited soldiers wounded in a four-week battle with Islamic extremists linked to the Islamic State (IS) group./.

Lan Ha

(According to AFP)