A DAY after skipping the ceremonies of 119th Philippine Independence anniversary at Rizal Park in Manila, President Rodrigo Duterte is in “excellent, good” health but only needs to get enough rest, Malacañang assured on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella blamed the President’s “brutal” schedule, which triggered him to miss the flag-raising and wreath-laying rites at Luneta Park.
“The President is actually in excellent, good health, except for the fact that his schedules have been brutal,” Abella told a press conference.
“So I think we need to allow him of a few rest. He was actually on top of the situation. However, he also needed rest,” he added.
Duterte on Monday was unable to grace his supposed first attendance to the Independence Day’s ceremonies in Manila and was instead represented by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano had said that the Chief Executive was too tired to attend the event because of his activities over the weekend. He, however, assured that there was “nothing to worry about.”
Abella said Duterte does not need to get medical advice and will just spend “private time” today.
“Frankly, he doesn’t need medical advice in order to tell him that ‘you should rest.’ Your body tells that. But anyway, having said that, he’s resting today,” he said. “As of today, he has private time. Let’s all wish him well.”
In March, Duterte revealed that he has been using oxygen concentrator as he has “lack of oxygenation.”
He had also made public that he has Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which the esophagus changes; and a Buerger’s disease, a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs.
The President had admitted that he used to use Fentanyl patch, a narcotic pain medicine treating severe chronic pain, to make him feel better. (SunStar Philippines)