President Rodrigo Duterte said rumors that he flew to Singapore over the weekend were “nonsense” but reiterated his right to travel for personal reasons.

“Look, let me be very frank, if I want to go to Singapore, I will go to Singapore. If it is a private undertaking or if I want to attend the burial of a friend or to pay a visit sa wake, I will go there fly-in, fly-out. But alam mo kung gusto kong umalis, aalis ako (But you know, if I want to leave, I will leave),” said Duterte on Monday night, August 17, during a televised address.

Duterte dedicated a portion of his message to disputing the rumors. Earlier that day, media were sent photos of him having a meal with his family in his Davao City house. Senator Bong Go, his longtime aide, also livestreamed a video showing Duterte with him.

During his Thursday night speech, Duterte said he is “under no obligation” to keep such private trips secret. 

“I do not have to keep it a secret because I will not be using any government funds. Hindi ko ugali ‘yan (That’s not my personality). And there has been no [personal] trip so far that I have undertaken outside of the Philippines using government funds,” said Duterte.

But the President’s words are not the same as a commitment to inform the public of his trips abroad.

In the past, Duterte has flown out of the country at least twice without informing the nation. In both cases, he visited Hong Kong with family.

The first instance was in October 2016, supposedly just to “rest.” The second time was in February 2019, supposedly because his youngest daughter asked for the trip.

In both cases, the media only found out through photographs taken by Hong Kong citizens or media outlets. Duterte’s trip was then belatedly confirmed by his longtime aide and now senator Bong Go.

Duterte insisted he has a right to travel like any Filipino and the public shouldn’t make a big deal about it.

“At bakit isikreto ko Why keep it a secret)? I am under no obligation to travel in secret and not telling the Republic at all. I am a citizen of this country. The right to travel is guaranteed. Kung guaranteed sa inyo, eh di guaranteed ‘yan sa akin (If it’s guaranteed for you, then it’s guaranteed for me),” he said.

Rumors of Duterte’s whereabouts have been fueled by his prolonged stay in Davao City amid the coronavirus health crisis. He has been in his hometown for some two weeks.

There is also the matter of Duterte’s own vulnerability to COVID-19, being 75 years old and riddled with ailments he has publicly admitted to having. (LISTEN: [PODCAST]: What happens if Duterte gets COVID-19?)

Leaving military in charge if ‘topsy turvy’

Duterte then laid out his choices for who would lead the country if he ever goes abroad. 

Acknowleding that usually the vice president is left in charge, he said, “But I am not inclined to do that.”

He said he would rather leave either Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea or Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra in charge, as he has done in past official trips abroad.

One of the two Cabinet members are usually designated as the caretaker. Usually, Guevarra gets the job when Medialdea is part of Duterte’s delegation for that trip.

But Duterte would leave the government in the hands of the military if the state of the country is “topsy turvy,” a vague phrase that could mean anything from an economic downturn or widespread terrorism.

“If things are not quite good, then I’ll leave it in the hands of the military. Probably it would be the Secretary of Defense if the nation is kind of topsy turvy and I have to leave,” Duterte said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is a retired military general who now leads a civilian department that oversees the Armed Forces. The President has often turned to the military and police to fix problems complex problems, including the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic corruption. – Rappler.com