Sotto defends Duterte from ‘missing in action’ criticisms amid Rolly onslaught

Senator Vicente Sotto III on Monday defended President Rodrigo Duterte against those who criticize him for supposedly going "missing in action" as Super Typhoon Rolly pounded the Philippines over the weekend.

In a message to reporters, Sotto said Duterte can still perform his mandate as Chief Executive even if he is not on the scene of the typhoon itself.

"He is in the Philippines 'di ba? The web is very active 'di ba? What can he not do in Davao?" he said.

"He can oversee it from wherever he is if he wants to," he added.

#NasaanAng Pangulo and #NasaanSi Duterte were among the trending Twitter hashtags on Sunday afternoon as the public asked about the President's whereabouts during the onslaught of Rolly.

Duterte was absent in the first government briefing on the tropical cyclone that day, with presidential spokesperson Harry Roque saying the President was in Davao City at the time.

Roque nevertheless assured the public that the President was monitoring the developments in the typhoon.

Sotto believes that even if the President was in the briefing and talked for many hours, people would still be complaining.

"What can he do in Albay that he cannot do in Davao? The reason there are Cabinet members and local government officials is to be the [representatives] of government and the President," he said.

Duterte is expected to fly back to Manila from Davao later in the day, but he would also conduct an aerial inspection on the typhoon damage in the Bicol Region and Calabarzon along the way. — RSJ, GMA News