MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:46 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte was photographed at the Villamor Air Base on Thursday afternoon as he left Manila for Davao City amid rumors about his health.
As seen in photos and a video released by Malacañang, Duterte flew to his hometown Davao City during his nearly week-long absence from the public eye.
Duterte is taking the week off to rest, fueling speculations about his health condition. Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella on Thursday insisted that the president is "well."
Special Assistant to the President Bong Go similarly told Philstar.com on Friday, "110% he is okay and healthy."
Malacañang canceled the 72-year-old leader's public appearances this week despite an ongoing urban battle in Marawi City between government troops and joint forces of the extremist Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups.
The photos and video of the president at the air base were released on Thursday, hours after Go shared photos of him purportedly taken at the Malacañan Palace compound inside Bahay Pagbabago at around 5:50 p.m.
Duterte, seen in the photos, reached the air base on a chopper from the Palace at "past 6 p.m.," Go told Philstar.com.
The Constitution requires the president's staff to disclose his state of heath in case of serious illness. "The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shall not be denied access to the President during such illness," Article 7, Section 12 of the 1987 charter states.