MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:52 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte Sunday proved that rumors about his death were greatly exaggerated as he appeared on online videos to mock those who claim that he has passed away.
Duterte was seen in three videos posted on Facebook by his partner Cielito "Honeylet" Avanceña. In the first video, Avanceña was showing Duterte a copy of Sunday's issue of The STAR in a dining room. In the second and third videos, Duterte was addressing those who believe he is dead.
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"For those who believe in the news that I passed away, then I request of you, please pray for me, for the eternal repose of my soul. Thank you," Duterte said in one of the videos.
WATCH: President Duterte tells those spreading rumors about his death to pray for the eternal repose of his soul. | ????: Honeylet Avanceña, via @alexisbromero
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) February 3, 2019
FULL STORY: https://t.co/VAWCh48eX7 pic.twitter.com/T0CF3k9EDD
The 73-year-old president also promised to "interview" God and to relay the messages of his critics to Him.
"I will ask god first if he’s available for interview because I will go there. What is your message? I will relay it. Priests, bishops, everyone. And the last wish of the drug addicts, you list them all. I will be the one to bring them to heaven or hell, it depends," the president said in Filipino.
WATCH: President Duterte vows he will interview God when asked about his reaction on rumors that he passed away. | ????: Honeylet Avanceña
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) February 3, 2019
FULL STORY: https://t.co/I1kIOl3Mck pic.twitter.com/TqzsnImUbB
Hours before Avanceña uploaded the videos, some users of social networking sites were speculating about the health of Duterte, noting that the president has not been seen in public since last Wednesday.
WATCH: President Duterte's partner Honeylet Avanceña shows the president a copy of today's issue of The STAR. The video was uploaded by Avanceña to dispel rumors that the president is dead. | via @alexisbromero pic.twitter.com/Pl3nlBm3nr
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) February 3, 2019
Duterte's last public engagement was his attendance at the premiere of the movie about former Philippine National Police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa in Mandaluyong City last Tuesday.
Earlier, Duterte admitted to suffering from acute bronchitis and a migraine tied to a spinal injury he sustained in a motorcycle mishap in the 1960s. Duterte, the oldest person to be elected to the presidency, has also admitted to having Buerger’s disease, an illness caused by smoking.
Last October, Duterte revealed he underwent endoscopy and colonoscopy and even raised the possibility that he may have cancer. Endoscopy seeks to examine a patient's digestive tract while colonoscopy aims to check the condition of the large intestine. Duterte, later on, claimed he was tested negative for cancer.
Despite Duterte's statement, about half of Filipinos believe the president has health problems, according to a recent poll.
A nationwide Social Weather Stations survey conducted last month indicated that 66 percent of Filipinos are worried about Duterte's health, higher than the 55 percent recorded in September.
The poll, which used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults, also found 49 percent believe the president has health problems, more than double the 24 percent who thought otherwise.