Malacañang on Friday, October 25, dismissed calls to release a medical bulletin of President Rodrigo Duterte’s condition since the Constitution only requires a health dispatch in case of a “serious illness.”
Duterte’s visit to Japan on Tuesday, October 22, was cut short because of an “unbearable” pain in his spine and pelvic area following a motorcycle accident last week.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Duterte was advised to rest after he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and medical evaluation on Wednesday,October 23.
However, when the spokesman was asked if the Palace would release a medical bulletin on Duterte’s health, Panelo said it wasn’t necessary.
“There’s no need for that [medical bulletin]. It comes only when there is a serious illness, that’s the Constitutional requirement,” he said.
Malacañang on Wednesday vowed that the president will publicly disclose the result of his medical consultation after his health was once again put into scrutiny due to his accident.
Duterte’s health has been a recurring issue in his presidency, with the public expressing concern over his health condition.
He recently revealed that he has myasthenia gravis, a chronic auto-immune neuromuscular disorder that affects the muscles in his eyes and limits his ability to control eye movement. Apart from his eye condition, he also has Barrett’s esophagus, which affects his throat; as well as Buerger’s disease from the heavy smoking he did in his younger years.
Under the Constitution, information about the state of the president’s health should always be available to the public in case the chief executive has a serious illness.
“In case of serious illness of the president, the public shall be informed of the state of his health. The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shall not be denied access to the president during such illness,” Section 12 of Article VII read.
