MANILA, Philippines — Despite his absence from the public eye for days now, President Rodrigo Duterte has not been remiss in his duties as he was busy with private meetings and engagements, Malacañang said Friday.

Duterte was last seen in public during the 118th Police Service Anniversary at Camp Crame in Quezon City on August 9.

“Eh marami siyang private meetings, maraming courtesy calls,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing when asked about the President’s schedule.

Panelo also said the “workaholic” Duterte has lots of papers to read and sign.

“[K]asi sa aming mga lawyers, bago kami pumirma, binabasa namin. Matiyaga kaming nagbabasa ng dokumento bago mo ilagay iyong pirma mo eh, iyon ang sinabi niya sa akin eh… ‘So it takes time reading before I sign it’, iyon ang nakakatagal sa kaniya,” he said.

“Si Presidente busy sa paper work, busy sa engagement – busy sa lahat si Presidente, hindi ba? Workaholic masyado itong mama,” he added.

Duterte’s prolonged absence in the past has sparked speculations that the President was seriously ill.

The President earlier revealed he had undergone colonoscopy and endoscopy and that he has been undergoing regular blood tests.

READ: Duterte admits hospital visit for colonoscopy

The 74-year-old chief executive also admitted before that he suffers from Buerger’s disease, migraine, and back pains reportedly caused by smoking during his youth. /kga