Duterte: ‘If you want me to die, you must pray harder’

President Rodrigo Duterte said he does not have any ailment that would prevent him from exercising his duty as chief executive.

Duterte made the remark amid speculations on his health following the cancellation of his regular public address for two consecutive days last week.

His longtime aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Sunday posted a series of photos and videos where the president could be seen swinging a golf club, riding a motorcycle at night time.

“Kaya ako nakaka-swing ng golf tapos nagmo-motor kasi kaya ko pa,” Duterte said in his nationally televised address on Monday night.

“Noong nawala ako ng ilang araw, talagang sinadya ko ‘yon. Pag kinakalkal mo ako, lalo akong, ‘yong parang bata, pagka lalo mo akong kinakantsawan, lalo akong gagana,” he said.

[I play golf and go motoring because I still can. When I was gone for a dew days, I did so deliberately. Like a child, the more you make fun of me, the more I gain enjoyment from it.]

Duterte said he is active and starts his day late in the day.

“Gusto ko mag-motor tutal gabi naman [I like driving around, after all it's night]...To ride at 2 o’clock in the morning, that is not taking away from people’s time,” he said.

Duterte then slammed his critics, including Senator Leila de Lima, who he said wants him to die early.

“If you want me to die early, you must pray harder,” Duterte said.

“What you intend or what you would like to happen is to see me go… You want me to go and you’re praying for that,” he added.

He also said the military would not allow him to lead if he is not competent.

"You can have your dreams but it is always God who disposes everything... Pagka ano mo, titignan mo lang, tatagal kaya ako dito sa p— ina pwestong ito kung inutil ako?" said Duterte.

[You think I would remain in this post if I were incompetent?]

Further, he said if he wants to go home to Davao City on a “reasonable basis,” he can because that is his home.

“I go home just to be there… I missed my daughter’s birthday, talagang ‘di ako nakapunta kasi nagpipirma ako ng series doon sa agriculture [I really wasn't able to go because I was signing documents on agriculture]… I was really working on the papers,” Duterte said. — with Consuelo Marquez/BM, GMA News