THE story is told of President Duterte visiting the wake of a soldier killed in battle. The soldier’s son kept staring at the President who said, “Hi, how old are you?” The boy said, “Four and a half. How old are you?” Duterte said, “I’m 73.” (He’ll be 74 this March 28.) The boy stared at the President for a few seconds before asking, “Why are you alive?”

The story is most likely apocryphal but something like the boy’s question must have made Duterte more sensitive about his mortality. He has been talking about death and fear of dying since a few months into his presidency.

Four ailments

He was candid enough to admit, last Feb. 13, 2016, about having four ailments: a respiratory infection, a slipped disk, a tissue-lined esophagus, and constricted blood vessels. He later admitted to drinking at night and taking marijuana and opioid Fentanyl to fight the pain (and soar to “cloud nine, as if everything was okay”).

But he bristles when anybody asks him to support his claims about his health. A medical certificate? During the 2016 election campaign, he said he’d show health papers if he could see for himself that Mar Roxas, then the leading rival for the presidency who demanded full disclosure, was circumcised. He cursed when an Inquirer correspondent based in Davao City wanted to check his medical records.

Fear of dying

Hollywood writer and director Woody Allen said he was not afraid to die but just wouldn’t like “to be there when it happens.” President Duterte said he was afraid of dying and wanted to die a hero. He said last Sept. 20, 2018: “I would rather be shot than die of old age or disease.” A few months before that, on Feb. 28, he said he’d rather be shot than stay beyond his term’s end in 2022.

The President wouldn’t die of old age. Technically, cause of death would still be ailment or disease which old age might set off or fail to stop. As to “taking a bullet for my country,” that would not happen unless he’d make good his campaign promise to land on and conquer a China-claimed islet from a jet ski or accept one bishop’s recent challenge for him to walk the streets of Manila without scores of bodyguards.

Not in hell

Duterte’s reaction to speculations on social media about his having died came after he skipped last Friday (Feb. 1) his visit to Palo, Leyte. Not the first time that kind of talk went rampant. Before, for days he would go vanish from public view, with Malacañang watchers hopping curious about where he was. This time, to quell internet rumor that he was dead or dying, he had a video taken of himself and his live-in partner, with a copy of the day’s newspaper in display, and uploaded the clip on social media.

At least, he must realize already that the state of his health may set off national anxiety. But, as before, worries over his physical condition give him the chance to lash at “ill-wishers and rumor-mongers” – and flay his critics and pet peeves: priests, bishops and drug addicts. And this time he offers to bear their messages to God in heaven.

Alive and well

Good heavens. Didn’t he earlier say there is no heaven or hell? He did: “Yung Diyos ko, walang impiyerno, walang langit... Hindi rin totoo ang purgatoryo” (July 3, 2018). But then his declarations about religion, women and assorted others that titillate or amuse crowds are often explained as hyperbole, joke or plain baloney. One wouldn’t be sure which of his pronouncements, earthly or divine, must be taken seriously.

Without medical records opened for public scrutiny, the question of his health remains uncertain until the next occasion for speculation comes around. As of last weekend, President Dutertete looked alive and well. Just don’t ask, you inquisitive kids out there, why.