Duterte visits Libingan ng mga Bayani after skipping National Heroes Day rites

Photos courtesy of Malacañang

President Rodrigo Duterte visited the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Monday evening as he paid tribute to fallen soldiers.

Photos released by Malacañang on Tuesday showed Duterte offering a prayer and lighting a candle in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Duterte was supposed to lead the National Heroes Day celebration at the LNMB on Monday morning but decided to skip it because he was not feeling well, according to his former top aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano represented Duterte in the event which was attended by war veterans.

In his speech delivered by Cayetano, Duterte honored the country’s heroes and called on the Filipino people to emulate their patriotism.

“As we commemorate National Heroes Day, I call on my fellow Filipinos to emulate the patriotism of all those heroes who came before us by supporting the government’s nation-building efforts, especially our campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, corruption, terrorism, poverty, and environmental degradation,” the President’s message said.

Duterte also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to create an environment where every Filipino, regardless of ethnicity, political affiliation, religious belief, educational attainment, or financial capability, can become a hero in his own right.

"I therefore ask my fellow Filipinos to set aside our differences so that together, we may shape a more dynamic and prosperous society that will serve as a cradle of future generations of Filipino heroes,” he said. —KBK, GMA News