By Hannah Torregoza and Genalyn Kabiling
Senator Leila de Lima said Friday that Malacañang should disclose the true state of President Duterte’s health.
Senator Leila de Lima
(REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Dapat sinasabi nila sa taumbayan ang tunay na kalagayan ng kanyang kalusugan (They should disclose to the people the true state of the President’s health),” De Lima said in an ambush interview after attending her arraignment hearing at the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206.
“Constitutional duty niya ‘yan na sabihin sa atin (to tell us). Is he still fit to lead our country?” De Lima pointed out, as rumors abound that the President was rushed to a hospital recently.
Harry Roque, the presidential spokesperson, dismissed the rumors as “fake news.”
“There is no truth to it. It is fake news. The President is fine,” Roque was quoted as telling media.
Go: President’s fine
Yesterday, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go assured the public that there was nothing to worry about the President’s health condition following a routine medical checkup last weekend.
“Unang-una, karapatan ng bawat Pilipino malaman kung ano ang estado ng kalusugan ng ating Pangulo . He is in tiptop condition to lead our country in the next four years,” Go said in radio interview.
“Nabalita nung nakaraang linggo na pumunta siya ng ospital, routine check-up lang po yun at nakita naman po natin nung SONA ay napakakalmado magsalita ng Pangulo at he is in (his) usual mood po. So huwag po kayo mag-alala, very healthy po ang ating Pangulo ,” he added.
The 73-year-old President had a medical checkup at the Cardinal Santos hospital on the eve of his State of the Nation Address (SONA). Duterte reportedly got a clean bill of health from doctors.
Duterte has admitted suffering from ailments, including back pains and migraines after a motorcycle accident, and Buerger’s disease or the inflammation of blood vessels caused by his past smoking habit.