Amid rumors that he went to Singapore: Duterte says if he’ll go abroad, he won’t hide it

August 18, 2020

Like other Filipinos, President Rodrigo Duterte said he has also the right to travel and he would not hide it if he indeed went to Singapore over the weekend.

Duterte made the statement during his televised message late Monday night from Davao City amid speculations that he secretly left the country recently after a Lear jet took off from Singapore and landed in Davao City airport and reportedly could have flown back to Singapore.

"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 in a wake, I will go there fly-in,fly-out...I do not have to keep it a secret because I will not be using any government funds. That's not my attitude," he said.

"And there has been no trip so far that I have undertaken outside of the Philippines using government funds. If at all I go out, it's official, and it is just that I don't have money to pay the entourage that goes with me," Duterte said.

He said he was not under no obligation to travel in secret and not telling the people at all.

"I am a citizen of this country. The right to travel is guaranteed. If it's guaranteed to you, it's also guaranteed to me. And I do not have to hide it. I said, I am not stupid to use government funds. The people will know that. So, stop this nonsense about me going to Singapore," Duterte stressed, noting that if he misused the government's funds, it would be a violation of the anti-graft law.

He said he knew it because he is a lawyer.

In jest, Duterte said he would only make his travel secret if he would elope. But he said his children, especially his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, would hunt him down.

Duterte also said that if he would leave the country, he would assign Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea or Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to be the government's caretaker.

"Or if not, 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 situation in the country is topsy-turvy and I have to leave," he said.

"But otherwise, a leader would always stay where the crisis is. He should never go anywhere if there is a problem in the country...I am not like that just to disabuse your mind," Duterte added. Celerina Monte/DMS