President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concern after his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Malacañang said on Thursday.
“Of course, the President is concerned as a father,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser.
Roque said the Palace is glad that Sebastian, being physically fit, can fight off the infection.
“One thing for Vice Mayor is siya po ay bata at malusog. Talaga naman pong immune system ang lumalaban dito sa Covid-19 (One thing for the Vice Mayor is he is young and healthy. His immune system can really fight Covid-19),” he said.
Roque, however, could not confirm whether Duterte has been exposed to Sebastian.
“Wala po akong alam na close contact si Presidente (I do not know if the President is a close contact),” he said.
This, after Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, confirmed in a Facebook post that Sebastian has acquired Covid-19.
Sara, on her official Facebook account, shared a screenshot of the presidential family’s video call on Wednesday to check on each other after Sebastian got infected with the coronavirus.
The video call was joined by Duterte, his former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman, and children Sara, Sebastian and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte.
Roque could not also say if Sebastian’s heath condition would affect the presidential family’s attendance to Duterte’s sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26.
“Hindi ko lang po alam kung makakarating si Deputy Speaker Pulong (I do not know if Deputy Speaker Pulong will be able to attend),” he said.
A maximum of 200 participants may be allowed to grace Duterte’s last SONA at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on July 26 despite the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
On July 12, Sara Duterte announced that she will skip her father’s final SONA. (PNA)
