BACOLOS City – President Rodrigo Duterte has skipped this year’s 40th MassKara Festival.
He was scheduled to visit this city yesterday but was instead represented by Tourism Undersecretary for Legal and Special Concerns Edwin Enrile.
“How we wish that President Duterte could come, but we understand that he could not make it under the current circumstance,” according to Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Duterte was suffering from “unbearable pain” in his spine after a motorcycle accident last week and had to cut short his trip to Japan to return to the Philippines Wednesday night.
Panelo said Duterte left Japan sooner than planned, having attended the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito.
Leonardia, however, said: “Effectively, we were still graced by the President for the fourth time, because he sent his official representative,” Leonardia added. “We wish the President well and are calling for prayers for his swift recovery.”/PN
