Philippine leader appears in public

MANILA: Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte reappeared in public on Tuesday after an absence of a week, his longest disappearance from the spotlight as president, amid concerns about his health that the government insists are baseless. Duterte gave a speech at the presidential palace of about 25 minutes late on Tuesday, during which he railed at militants for their bloody occupation of a southern town. The 72-year-old Duterte’s low profile this month has fuelled rumours he is in declining health and that the government is trying to keep that under wraps.