By: Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte missed this year’s MassKara celebration.
A press statement from the Bacolod City PIO said that President Rodrigo Duterte sent an “official representative” to the MassKara Festival.
Duterte, who was supposedly expected to arrive Friday, was reported to be suffering from “unbearable pain” in his spine after a motorcycle accident.
It also cut short his trip to Japan.
The 74-year-old President hurt his hip in a motorcycle accident last week.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte left Japan sooner than planned after attending the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito.
Duterte later described his predicament in a short video clip posted on Facebook by Senator Christopher Go, who accompanied him on the trip.
“I can’t bear it, it’s around my belt area (waistline), about three inches. It’s really painful,” added the president.
Leonardia said the President’s representative was Department of Tourism Undersecretary for Legal and Special Concerns Edwin Enrile, who is also the chief of staff of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
