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The public has the right to know the truth about the President’s health

President Duterte in Japan. He cut short his visit due to “”unbearable pain in his spinal column.” Photo by Sen. Bong Go. From Philippine Star.

Section 12 of Art. VII of the Constitution states, “In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.“

What is the state of the President Duterte’s health now? How serious is his current illness?

Tuesday, Malacañang announced that the President will be cutting short his trip to Japan where he was supposed to attend the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. He left Davao City in a private plane Monday evening.

“The Palace announces that the president will cut short his trip to Japan due to unbearable pain in his spinal column near the pelvic bone as a consequence of his fall during his motorcycle ride,” Malacañang said.

The statement also said the President will see his neurologist on Wednesday.

We expect a medical bulletin from Malacañang after he sees his neurologist on Wednesday. A medical bulletin by his doctor.
Not a statement from Sen. Bong Go because he is not the President’s doctor. Not from Presidential Salvador Panelo because he is not a doctor. Not even from the President himself because he is not a doctor.

The Malacañang statement said, “While this was unforeseeable, the public can rest assure that there is nothing to worry as regards the physical health and condition of the president as he gives serious priority thereto in actively serving our country.”

The best assurance that Malacañang can give to the people is a medical bulletin. It is not for the President, Panelo or Go to determine what is “serious illness.” That is the job of the President’s doctor.

The President is required by the Constitution to inform the people of his serious illness. And it is the right of the Filipino people to know the state of the President’s health.

Published inGovernance

2 Comments

  1. roc roc

    in pain? abi naku, inantok lang siya, lol! if he was in pain, he should have lain down, humiga and put his feet up. sometimes, bong go exaggerates. cut the japan trip short kuno dahil sa sobrang back pain only for duterte to arrive at the air base and then diretso kaagad sa burol ni nene, no longer in pain! ang bilis nawalan ng pain.

    methink, maaga siyang umiwi dahil hinatud lang niya sina sara sa japan. kung sina sara at bong go lang kasi ang pumunta sa japan e, tatanugin at taas kilay ang taumbayan sa gastos. kapag kasama si duterte, hindi gaanong aaray sa gastos ang taumbayan.

    maagang umuwi bored kasi si duterte, bihira siyang kausapin ng mga celebs at minsan natatalikuran pa siya.

    his health? aba, he collects maladies, lol! and finds great pleasure to enumerate his collection of sickness to captive audience. pinupurwisyo ang taumbayan already burdened with congested traffic.

    samantalang halos bankrupt na ang philhealth, nurses kulang ng sweldo, teachers as well. walang tubig at pataas ang crime ng mga chinese nationals. drugs is still very much around and not going away.

    in the meantime, bong go entertains the public with the president’s illness. as for me, I dont want to know anymore the president’s illnesses and how many he has accumulated.

  2. roc roc

    nabawasan! so glad nabawasan ang collection of illnesses ni duterte, na-minus one.

    dati, ingon ni bong go may sobrang spinal pain kuno ang presidente. after seeing a neurologist on wednesday, turns out duterte only has muscle spasm. and not the much dreaded spinal pain exaggerated by bong go.

    we all have muscle spasm at one point in our lives. may leg cramp po tayo in our sleep. masakit yan at paminsan ay paulit-ulit pa, but then nawawala ang spasmic pain on its own accord.

    sometimes, muscle spasm is caused by dehydration and not having enough water in our system, resulting in electrolyte imbalance. so more drink water and avoid dehydration!

    kaso for older people like the president who is already 74, paminsan meron silang sensory deficit and rarely feel thirsty. and when they do feel thirsty, damage has been done and on the way to dehydration na sila.

    so, not only does the president need to carry air purifier on his person, he needs to carry bottled water as well. and if bong go is good friend, he should remind the president to drink more water, better still carry bottled water for the president, be the president’s personal water boy, lol!

    and if there is water shortage in our country, emergency wards of public hospitals should expect more people coming in for intravenous drips and be treated for dehydration, suffering from pain of muscle spasm.

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