Spokesman Panelo claims ‘no medical checkup in Hong Kong for Duterte’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday assailed opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for claiming that President Duterte went to Hong Kong last weekend to undergo a medical checkup.

Duterte went on an unannounced trip in Hong Kong with his family over the weekend, his second in China’s administrative region in over four months.

Palace officials insisted that the 73-year-old President was in Hong Kong to celebrate the birthday of his partner Honeylet Avanceña. Duterte’s daughter Kitty was also said to be the one who requested for the trip as a “gift.”

Trillanes, an ardent critic of Duterte, was not convinced by the official statement and claimed that Duterte traveled to Hong Kong to either undergo a checkup or to transfer funds or both.

But presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo maintained that Duterte made the unannounced trip for recreation.

“He went there because of a request of his daughter. It served as a blowout for her and it was the birthday of Ms. Honeylet Avanceña. It was a rest and recreation and a celebration. This is the only president who rarely rests,” Panelo said in a press briefing.

He added that Trillanes was spreading lies when he claimed that Duterte was in Hong Kong for health reasons.

“We are used to his (Trillanes) falsities,” he said. “If the President goes to Hong Kong or to any place for that matter, you could not hide him from Filipinos. They would know if he enters a hospital.”

Last October, Duterte and his family went to Hong Kong days after he admitted undergoing medical tests and raised the possibility that he might have cancer.

The President later announced he had tested negative for cancer.

Officials had said the trip was intended to allow the President to rest.