President Duterte will no longer deliver an address to the nation Wednesday, April 7, according to his spokesman Secretary Harry Roque.
The President's "talk to the people" will instead be moved to next week, Roque added.
"No talk to the people," Roque said in a message to reporters when asked if the President's planned Wednesday televised address will push through. "Next week na," he added.
The Palace official has yet to respond to media queries about the reason behind the change in the President's schedule as well as his current whereabouts.
Senator Christopher Go was more forthcoming about the latest situation. He explained that the President's address was postponed as a health precaution after several members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
The President's former aide, in a radio interview, assured that Duterte remained in good health condition despite the infection of some security personnel. The President will also stay in Manila and won't fly to Davao City given the existing strict lockdown in the capital region, he added.
The PSG has yet to issue a statement about the reported coronavirus infection affecting some personnel. Some members of the President's security team previously received unregistered coronavirus vaccines as part of its mission to protect the Chief Executive from the health threat.
The President was supposed to deliver his regular public address last Monday but Roque announced it could be rescheduled for Wednesday. He added the President decided to skip the arrival ceremony of future vaccine deliveries to the country.
"Wala pong talk to the people mamayang gabi, possible po sa Wednesday (there is no talk to the people tonight. It's possible this Wednesday," Roque said during a televised press briefing Monday afternoon, April 5.
"At sinabi po ni Presidente na iyong huling pagdating ng Sinovac eh baka iyon na rin po iyong huli niyang pagsalubong sa mga bakuna bagama’t inaasahan natin na sunud-sunod na po ang pagdating ng mga bakuna (The President said the last arrival of the Sinovac vaccines could be his last welcome although we expect the vaccines to arrive in the country one after another)," he added.
The President's last televised address was on March 29 when he announced the extension of the country's quarantine classification for the month of April, the decision allowing private sector to buy vaccines at will, and the approval of the P1,000 assistance for low-income people in areas under enhanced community quarantine.
Prior to his address, Duterte attended the welcome ceremony of the 1 million doses of Sinovac vaccines bought by the government at the Villamor Air base in Pasay City.
Duterte, who turned 76 on March 28, spent the Holy Week in Manila. His former assistant and now Senator Christopher Go shared on Facebook photos of the President at Bahay Pagbabago last April 1.