President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Monday that he went in a hospital in China , confirming what a newspaper wrote in January.

Former Senator Francisco Tatad wrote in his column on January 9, 2017 at The Manila Times that Duterte could have visited a cancer hospital in Guangzhou during the early days of January when he was not seen publicly for days.

"The truth really, I tell (you), Tatad this is not for you. The truth is I went to China . It's true. I went to a hospital," he said.

But he added he had himself "circumcised," which brought laughter from businessmen who attended the Bureau of Internal Revenue's program for large taxpayers in Pasay City .

In the same event with the businessmen, Duterte apologized for being late because he had to go to a hospital because he was "not feeling well."

He said he told his doctor in Cardinal Santos Hospital that "my heart is aching."

But after checking on him, Duterte said he was told that he had no problem.

He slammed Tatad and called him an "idiot" and recalled how the latter served late President Ferdinand Marcos, particularly when martial law was declared in the country.

Duterte earlier denied an accusation that he had cancer, but he admitted that he has different ailments, such as migraine, Barrett's esophagus and Buerger's disease.

Duterte arrived late by about one hour and 30 minutes in his first schedule, which was the harvesting of vegetables at the Presidential Security Group Hardin ng Lunas. He was supposed to be in the venue, just near his official residence in Malacanang, by 2pm, but he arrived at around 3:30pm. His schedule in the BIR event was for 3pm.

However, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go and Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar both denied in text messages Duterte had a check up in Cardinal Santos Hospital in San Juan City. Celerina Monte/DMS