Duterte ‘in good health,’ Palace assures public
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 06 May 2019 07:00:25 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is “in good health,” Malacañang assured the public, even after the Chief Executive was out of the public eye for nearly a week.
Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte had plenty of work, including courtesy calls and private meetings, and deserved to rest once in a while.
“Alam mo (You know) he is in good health, otherwise he cannot be taking that kind of punishing schedule,” Panelo said during an interview with dzBB radio.
“You noticed eh palaging madalas ang kanyang mga speaking engagement, sunod-sunod (he has many speaking engagements); apart from that marami siyang mga (he has) courtesy calls and private meetings. Talagang masipag, hindi mo talaga mapigilan ganoon talaga ang nature niya (He is really hardworking. You can’t stop him, that’s his nature),” he said.
The Palace official also said Duterte decided to stay at his home in Davao City as he wanted “to focus on his work.”
“You know, when a member of the Cabinet, especially the President, is not in his office for a few days… matatambakan. Ganyan siguro nangyari kay Presidente (It will pile up. That’s what happened to the President). Sa dami ng mga papeles na dapat niyang binasa, pipirmahan, natambakan kaya (Because of too many paperworks that he needs to read, sign, it was piled up that’s why he) decided to stay in the house and work on them,” Panelo said.
“The only reason why pinakita niya ‘yung picture na watching siya at nag-babasa ng diyaryo (he showed a picture of him watching and reading newspaper) at the same time eh para ma-ease ‘yung concern na may sakit siya. Ibig sabihin, okay ako (is to ease the concerns that he is sick. It means that I am fine),” he said.
Duterte ended his week-long absencewhen he visited the wake of former Speaker Prospero Nograles at the Heritage Park in Taguig City on Sunday night.
The President was last seen at the opening rites of the 2019 Palarong Pambansa at the Davao City Sports Complex on April 28.
Also, Duterte, who usually attends the campaign rallies of his ruling political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan, did not attend its three scheduled sorties last week.
The Chief Executive’s six-day hiatus came amid concerns about his state of health.
The 74-year-old Duterte has been open about his health condition, admitting previously that he is suffering from chronic back pains and migraine.
He has also admitted to having Barrett’s esophagus condition and Berguer’s disease.
In September 2018, Duterte revealed that he underwent endoscopy and colonoscopy because of his doctor’s suspicion that the “growth” in his digestive tract had developed into cancer.
But in October 2018, Duterte assured the public that he tested negative for cancer based on medical results.
Meanwhile, Panelo dismissed Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th’s statement criticizing Duterte for watching Netflix at home after the public missed him at work for a week.
He said Trillnes was obviously describing himself when he claimed that Duterte was lazy and acting like a king.
Duterte on Saturday sent Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat a photo of him watching “Django Unchained” on Netflix at home.
“Oh, I’m sure he was referring to himself. Obvious naman. Ano bang ginagawa niya ngayon (It’s really obvious. What is he doing right now)?” Panelo said of Trillanes. CATHERINE S. VALENTE
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