Duterte: Leni is constitutional successor

Amid speculations on his health, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo is the constitutional successor.

At the 120th anniversary celebration of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), the 72-yearold President joked that there are “two claimants to the presidency,” referring to Robredo and nuisance presidential candidate Ely Pamatong.

“I have a problem because there is a pretender to the throne, assuming that I die,” Duterte said in jest.

“He is already organizing and he has claimed that he has deposed me – presidential candidate Pamatong. He said, he already took over,” he added.

In a video uploaded on Facebook, Pamatong reportedly declared himself as the country’s new president after Duterte’s disappearance from the public eye for almost a week.

Duterte said the Constitution provides that only Robredo could replace him, if something happens to him.

“Leni (Robredo) is there. You might make a mistake in choos- ing whom to support. There’s the Constitution. There is a successor there,” he said.

Duterte belied rumors that he had been comatose.

Neither did he go on a medical break, he said.

“They worried about my life. A few days ago, they said I was comatose. The media spelled it wrong. It’s really kama (Filipino for bed). If I am not around and you do not see me, it’s certain that I’m staying in bed. Whatever I’m doing, that’s out of your business,” Duterte said.