Duterte set to attend Independence day rites for 2nd time

President Rodrigo Duterte will be physically present to commemorate the country’s Independence Day on June 12, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Dadalo in person ang Presidente sa komemorasyon ng ating Independence Day, ito po ay sa labas ng Metro Manila but I’m not at liberty to say for security reasons,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

(The President will be there in person to commemorate our Independence Day. It will be outside Metro Manila.)

Roque then paid tribute to Filipino who made sacrifices to fight for freedom.

“Ang mensahe po natin, talagang ang Pilipino sa mula’t mula iaalay ang buhay para sa kalayaan ng inang bayan (Filipinos will always lay down their life for the sake of our nation’s freedom),” he added.

The only time that the President was physically present during Independence Say rites since becoming President on June 30, 2016 was during the 2018 commemoration in Kawit, Cavite.