President Duterte's apology to Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Thursday, Dec. 30, during the signing of the 2022 national budget was apparently due to the palace's strict safety protocol implemented for visitors.
As Duterte took the podium to start his speech for the signing of the Republic Act No. 11639 or the General Appropriations Act of 2022, he publicly apologized to Sotto over the protocol in Malacañang.
"Senate President Vicente Sotto, nandito po kayo (are you here)?" the President asked to which Sotto answered with "Yes, sir."
"I would like (to) apologize for the ruckus. Hindi naman kasalanan (It's nobody's fault)--- they are very strict. Well, that is --- trabaho nila ‘yan (that's their job) so if there are lapses, I apologize to you publicly," Duterte said.
Shortly after the ceremony, which was attended by lawmakers and Cabinet members, Malacañang issued a statement clarifying the health and safety protocol within its premises.
"Visitors and guests who wish to meet the President inside the Palace or attend a Palace engagement where the President is present must show a negative RT-PCR test result," acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said.
The Cabinet Secretary added that visitors and guests have to undergo antigen testing inside Malacañang as part of their second screening.
This, he said, forms part of the Palace health and safety protocol.
The Palace statement did not specify the nature of the 'ruckus' for which Duterte apologized to Sotto at the start of his speech.
During Duterte's speech, he expressed his concern over the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has already entered the Philippines.
"Takot ako nitong Omicron because pumuputok na sa lahat ng bayan sa buong mundo at nakikita ko na (I'm scared of Omicron because it's emerging in nations around the world and I see that) in those places --- if you listen to the other international TV network --- nakikita ko na malaki (I see that they have many cases) in one day 200," the president said.
"Hindi naman ito I think a fatal mutant. But ang takot ko ‘yung --- may sources naman ang government, well, may bagong budget tayo (I think this is not a fatal mutant. But my only worrt is--the government have resources, well we have a new budget). Pero (But) that would not really help I mean in --- sa ano natin in our desire to rebuild because huwag lang sana (I hope not)--- if we are hit with the easy transmission of the character of this mutant, we will have again the same problem," he added.
On Dec. 28, health experts observed a rise in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila. After recording 200 to 400 cases daily, the Department of Health recorded a toyal of 889 new cases on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
READ MORE: Hospitals ready for possible spike in COVID-19 cases; another 889 infections recorded—DOH
The DOH has already detected four cases of the new variant in the country.
READ MORE: 22 close contacts of PH's 4th Omicron case traced—DOH