Sinabi ng Malacañang na posibleng tuluyang lumihis sa karaniwan si Pangulong Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte matapos ibunyag na maaaring magbibigay ang Punong Ehekutibo ng extemporaneous speech sa kanyang ikatlong State of the Nation Address (SONA) sa Hulyo 23.

Ito ang ipinahayag ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque matapos mabunyag na magsasagawa ang iba’t ibang cluster ng Gabinete ni Duterte ng kani-kanilang pre-SONA briefings para mag-ulat sa mga natamo ng administrasyon sa nakalipas na taon.

“One difference is magkakaroon po ng pre-SONA briefings ‘yung mga clusters that would be held in PICC (Philippine International Convention Center). That’s to give President latitude to say whatever he wants during the SONA. Because he has already laid out his achievements in the different clusters,” aniya kahapon.

“So the different achievements will be reported by the different clusters in the different Pre-SONA briefings that will be conducted,” idinugtong niya.

Gayunman hindi kinumpirma ni Roque kung talagang magbibigay si Duterte ng extemporaneous speech ngunit inamin na magkakaroon pa rin ng nakahandang talumpati para sa 73-anyos na pangulo.

“Well, I think there is still a speech writer, but I think they want it to be a message straight from the heart of the President, not hindered by the need to report on the different achievements,” aniya.

Sinabi rin ng opisyal ng Palasyo na hindi pa niya nakapulong ang speech writer.

“So sabi ko, ‘I need to sit down with you people and find out what exactly you’d put in the speech.’ Because obviously, a major change is that there’s now a pre-SONA briefing by the different clusters,” ani Roque.

“So, intrigued na intrigued na tayong lahat kung ano ang sasabihin ng Pangulo,” patuloy niya.

-Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos