President Rodrigo Duterte asked how spokesperson Harry Roque had possibly caught the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Si Harry Roque, Harry, bakit ka nagka-positive?… Hindi ka naman… I sense no difference in your deportment,” Duterte told Roque.
In response, Roque told the President that he was unsure where he got the virus. He however noted that he had visited several hospitals for the vaccination rollout.
“Ay ewan ko po pero binibilang ko po kung saan ko po posibleng nakuha pero sumama po ako sa rollout ng vaccination sa (Philippine General Hospital), sa Vicente Sotto (Memorial Medical Center), sa Southern Philippines (Medical Center), sa Laoag Medical, at tsaka sa Roque Ablan (Memorial Hospital),” Roque said.
He then assured the President he would work remotely while in isolation. “Tuloy tuloy pa rin po ang press briefing, pero naka-isolate po ako para hindi po ako makahawa,” he said.
Roque told the media that he was asymptomatic and an antigen test in Malacañang on Monday confirmed he was COVID-19 positive.
He said the last time he was with the President was on March 11, during the inauguration of infrastructure projects in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, adding he had tested negative the day before the meeting and kept his distance from the President.
