Roque says criticism of Duterte's birthday party just crab mentality

Malacañang on Monday defended President Rodrigo Duterte amid criticism resulting from a lechon that was not present in the photos of him during his 76th birthday celebration on Sunday.

In an interview on Unang Balita, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque accused the critics, among them Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite, of showing "crab mentality."

"Tingin ko naman utak talangka lang po 'yan. Birthday naman po ng Presidente, 76th, ang importante hindi po magarbo ang selebrasyon," he said.

(That's just crab mentality. The important thing is the President's 76th birthday celebration was not extravagant.)

Roque added that Duterte had never once claimed that he is among the poor and hungry.

Duterte's birthday celebration in Davao City earned criticism online after a lechon or roast suckling pig was not included in photos of him at the event.

Photos provided by Duterte's closest aide, Senator Bong Go, showed the President sitting in front of a single birthday candle planted on a serving of rice.

However, a video uploaded — and later deleted — by a person at the event showed the table laden with food, including a lechon.

"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," Gaite said on Twitter.  —KBK, GMA News