Duterte attends several events in Malacañang Tuesday after staying under the radar for the last six days

President Rodrigo Duterte attended some activities in Malacañang Tuesday after being conspicuously absent from the public eye for almost a week.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar in a radio interview this morning said Duterte was attending a  meeting of the National Economic and Development Authority, among other events.

"In fact, mamaya may meeting sa Malacañang, sa NEDA, para pag-usapan iyong mga economic policies, kung ano ang mangyayari, mga updates," he said.

"The past few days ay nandoon siya sa Davao at ngayong araw pa lang na ito ay ang expected namin na magkita kami ni Presidente para sa meeting," he added.

Andanar and presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella both offered explanations on Duterte's six-day absence.

Andanar said that Duterte is in good health, but just needed to rest.

"Huwag pong mag-alala ang mga kababayan natin, malusog po ang Pangulo natin. Ang kailangan lang po ay magpahinga at mga private time," he said.

But he implied that Duterte was working, too.

"Hindi naman ibig sabihin na hindi nagpapakita ang Pangulo, hindi nagtratrabaho dahil sa isang—kahit sinong CEO kung hindi nagpakita ay minsan ay nandoon lang sa opisina nagpipirma lang ng mga dokumento etcetera, mini-meet iyong ibang mga tauhan. Sa sobrang lawak ng burukrasya natin ay marami pong kinakausap ang ating Presidente," he said.

Working

Abella, meanwhile, in a separate briefing in Malacañang said Duterte was busy with work.

"First and foremost, he is alive and well. He's very well. He's just busy doing what he really needs to do," he said.

"The President as what you have seen is very much in the public eye. But being out of the public eye, that's when he really is able to do office work. He signs papers. He reads. He consults. He's actually very busy but the thing that is important to note is that he is on top of every situation. He's aware of what's happening. He's updated regularly. He views, he reads, he listens to this," Abella said.

"This is just, like what we said, his working style... This is the way he works," he added.

In an ambush interview with reporters after the briefing, Abella denied that Duterte's absence was health-related.

"No, it's not," he said.  

The last time Duterte graced a public event was on June 20 when he visited the evacuees who were forced to stay in Iligan City after Marawi City was attacked by the pro-ISIS Maute group, and the wounded soldiers at Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City. He even fielded some questions from the media.

Prior to that, he also decided to keep a low profile for five days after he skipped his supposed first Philippine Independence Day commemoration. Vice President Leni Robredo led the ceremonies instead.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano, who represented Duterte during the event, said the President was not feeling well because of his late night activities.

His absence then sparked rumors and concerns about his health. But Malacañang officials and Duterte himself were quick to point out that the Chief Executive is all right and he just needed rest.

It has been almost a month since Duterte attended a public event at Malacañang, when he led the oath-taking of newly-appointed officials and national leagues officers on June 1. —ALG/KVD/JST, GMA News