MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang defended President Rodrigo Duterte over photos and a video that surfaced of his 76th birthday celebration on Sunday.
"I don’t think the President ever pretended to be poor. He has always been known as simple. That is why he did not have guests on his birthday," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday.
To recall, photos of the chief executive sharing a meal with his family at home were shared by a senator online. The same photographs showed Duterte, wearing a shirt and shorts, blowing out a candle placed on top of a cup of rice.
However, a separate video that circulated on social media later on showed that the dinner table was actually laden with food, including lechon, a type of meat usually saved for special occasions.
"Acting poor for your birthday photo ops when you're not really poor is just mocking those who truly have nothing to put on their tables for their own birthdays," Rep. Ferdinand Gaite (Bayan Muna) tweeted Sunday night.
Duterte, who once described himself as a “poor man’s child,” held the image of being a simple man living a frugal lifestyle during his campaign for the presidency.
The video also later captures the president attempting to grope one of his household helpers in her lower body, presumably in jest.
In response to widespread criticism on social media, Roque came to the president's defense, denying there was an image being portrayed and that the president was simply being authentic.
Speaking in an interview aired over ANC on Monday morning, the Malacañang spokesman blasted the president's critics for what he said was their "crab mentality."
"There may have been food served for special occasions, but that did not violate any sense of decency. There was no extravagant show of wealth because the president was in t-shirt and shorts and celebrated only with his family," he said.
"It’s really crab mentality for anyone to suggest that the president was pretending. No, the President never pretends, he is known for his authenticity. He has simple celebrations and I think that’s what happened on his birthday," he added.
— Franco Luna