Police Chief is not sick: Spokesman

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said Saturday that Police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri was not sick as reported after the Police Chief failed to attend a planned swearing-in ceremony of several high-ranking officers on Friday.

“Bapak [Bambang] is resting at home,” Edward told tempointeraktif.com on Saturday, explaining further that the Police Chief had other duties to meet that he was unable to attend the ceremony.

Edward's statement contradicted an early statement by an advisor to the police chief, Kastorius Sinaga, who said that Bambang stayed at home due to poor health.

“I have a stomach ache. I vomited and suffered from a headache,” Kastorius quoted Bambang as saying. Kastorius added Bambang phoned him at 5:45 p.m. on Friday.

Speculation was rife that Bambang cracked under pressure following a series of problems facing the police force, the latest being a controversy over his failure to meet a promise to provide transcripts of wiretapped telephone conversations that indicated graft within the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Bambang also skipped a state agenda at the State Palace later on Friday.