By Argyll Geducos Malacañang appealed to allow President Duterte to have some leeway following reports of the Chief Executive's attendance to the graduation of his first granddaughter. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte greets his granddaughter Isabelle who is part of the first senior high school graduates of the San Beda College Alabang during the commencement exercises at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on May 17, 2018.
(ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after it was reported that Duterte attended the graduation ceremony of 18-year-old Isabelle Duterte at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Thursday. Isabelle is the daughter of former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte and his wife, Lovelie Sangkola-Sumera, who were both present during the rites. According to Roque, people should not forget that before Duterte became President, he is also a loving family man. "Ang Presidente po ay Presidente, pero 'wag nating kalimutan na tao rin po ang ating Presidente. Syempre po panganay n'ya apo si Isabelle. E talaga naman pong nagagalak ang ating Presidente na nagtapos ng Senior High School (The President is a President but let us not forget that he is also a human being. Isabelle is his first granddaughter and he is happy that she just completed her Senior High School)," Roque said. Isabelle was among the first batch of senior high school graduates of San Beda College Alabang who graduated under Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand. According to the Palace official, Duterte's attendance to the graduation rites is his way of expressing that he is proud of his granddaughter, just like any other grandparent. "Gaya ng ibang lolo sa Pilipinas, proud na proud po ang ating Presidente kay Isabelle. 'Yun na rin ang kanyang pamamaraan para iparating ang kanyang congratulations at pagbati sa lahat ng mga proud Lolo sa ating sambayanan (Like any other grandfather in the country, the President is proud of Isabelle. That is also his way of extending his congratulations to all proud grandfathers in the country)," Roque noted. Duterte arrived at the PICC Plenary Hall at 9:50 a.m., accompanied by Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Go and PICC General Manager Atty. Renato Padilla. According to Malacañang, Duterte, who is also a San Beda alumnus, allowed several students to take photographs with him. The President also went up to the stage and greeted the officers and staff of San Beda College Alabang before the end of the commencement exercises. Earlier, Malacañang appealed to the public to cut President Duterte and his family some slack after it was learned that Duterte's granddaughter had her pre-debut photoshoot by the Presidential Seal and Flag inside the Palace. According to Roque, the public should at least let the President's family take pictures inside the Palace for they have already chosen to live there. "They already opted not to live in the Palace. Kung ginusto nila, pwede silang tumira doon at our expense. Hindi naman po nila ginawa 'yun. 'Wag naman po nating ipagkait 'yung photo opportunity sa loob ng Palasyo (If they want to, they could have at our expense. They did not do that. Let's not deny them that photo opportunity inside the Palace)," he said December last year. The Palace official also noted that there is nothing wrong with the Presidential granddaughter to have her pre-debut photoshoot there. He also believes that it did not violate any law or executive order when she posed by the Presidential Seal and Presidential Flag.