ON A SCALE of one to 10, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted Tuesday, August 21, that the pain he feels on a daily basis is seven.
Duterte made the admission in a speech before Visayas mayors, two days after Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison claimed that the 73-year-old President was comatose.
The Chief Executive denied allegations of poor health, but said he is in constant pain because of a spinal injury he suffered from a motorcycle accident.
"Because ‘yung sa disgrasya ng motor, I have a C4 and C7 [nerve roots] na nag-impinge. That’s why I am in perpetual pain. On the... on any day, it’s 7 on a scale of 10," he said.
(Because of a motorcycle accident. I have a C4 and C7 [nerve roots] that are impinged. That’s why I am in perpetual pain. On the... on any day, it’s 7 on a scale of 10.)
Duterte, who previously brought up his controversial use of powerful painkiller fentanyl, said he could no longer take long-haul flights because of his spinal problems.
He recalled that he did not undergo surgery to cure his severe spinal injuries because the procedure could have gone "awry."
He added that his doctors had also advised him not to regularly take pain killers, as he was told to "better come to terms with [his] body."
"Iyan ang panakot ng ibang doktor. 'Sige, sige,' sabi niya, ’Pag na-disgrasya ‘yan, there are so many nerves there, 'pag naputol ‘yan, goodbye ka,'" Duterte said.
(That is how doctor threatens me. 'Go ahead,' he said, 'if you encounter trouble, there are so many nerves there, if it's damaged, goodbye to you.')
"Eh ayaw na ng doktor na sige ng painkiller, sabi niya, 'You better come to terms with your body,'" he added.
(But the doctor doesn't want me to frequently use painkiller. He said, 'You better come to terms with your body.')
Duterte had previously admitted that he used to take fentanyl, an extremely potent opiod, to deal with the pain and make him feel better.
Duterte has been transparent regarding his health, revealing earlier that he has Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which the esophagus changes, and Buerger’s disease, a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs.
In his latest speech, Duterte assured that he would live longer, contrary to Sison's claim that his health is failing.
"Comatose? Matagal pa ako (I'm not going to die soon.)," he said. (SunStar Philippines)