Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured on Friday that the public has nothing to worry about the health of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In his speech on Thursday in Tacloban City, President Duterte was seen coughing, and he said, “I don’t know, but ‘yong pagka-ubo (the way I cough), progressive. Baka cancer na (This could be cancer),” Pres. Duterte said.
Secretary Roque clarified that the chief executive was just kidding.
“Kaya ako sumasama kay Presidente, para makita ko kung paano iyong delivery niya so I can say kung seryoso o hindi. Pero on the basis naman of what I saw also on TV, I would say na nagbibiro naman po ang Presidente (The reason why I tag along with the President is for me to see the manner of his delivery so I can say if it is serious or not. But on the basis of what I saw also on TV, I would say that the President was just joking),” the spokesperson clarified.
At the same time, the Palace official assured that President Duterte is well-aware of his obligation under the law.
“I do not have any information na dapat mag-alala tayo. Bagama’t ang last na pakikipagkita ko po sa Presidente ay online last Monday, ang Presidente naman po ay abogado, and susunod po siya sa Saligang Batas. Kung mayroon siyang seryosong karamdaman, ipagbibigay alam niya po ‘yan sa publiko (I do not have any information which we should worry about. Even if I last saw the President last Monday through online, the President is a lawyer and he abides by the Constitution. If he has a serious condition, he would inform the public about it,” he assured. —Mela Lesmoras
