MANILA — The hectic schedule of President Rodrigo R. Duterte during his four-day official visit in Israel is proof that he is in good health, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark dispelling earlier claims by opposition lawmakers Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that Duterte is in Israel to have his health checked.
“Nakikita niyo naman si Presidente. Ngayong araw na ito whole day na naman siya (You’ve seen the President. He has a whole-day schedule today),” Roque said in a press briefing in Israel.
The 73-year-old President is scheduled to meet Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in his official residence Tuesday afternoon on top of other activities.
“Two schedules in the afternoon and one in the morning. So it’s been a hectic schedule for the President,” Roque said.
“Di ko rin alam (I don’t know) why he would come here for medical reasons,” he added.
Roque, however, admitted that Duterte had breaks to enable him “sufficient time to rest” and for the delegation to rest and have a little time to see the beauty of the Holy Land.
Earlier, Duterte’s top aide, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, urged Alejano and Trillanes to join the President in his trip to Israel if they doubted the reason for his official visit.
“Pwede naman siyang sumama. He is a congressman. Kung talagang magpa-checkup ang ating Pangulo, sumama na lang sila ni Mr. Trillanes at magpa-checkup sila ng mga ulo nila (He is welcome to join. He is a congressman. If the President is really going to have a medical checkup there, he and Mr. Trilanes can have their heads checked),” Go said in an interview.
Duterte himself said he was “tired” of listening to rumors being spread by Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison about his supposed poor state of health.
“I am tired of listening to Maria Sison,” Duterte told reporters in a chance interview during the National Heroes Day rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.
Sison earlier claimed that Duterte fell into coma — an accusation dispelled by the President after appearing in a Facebook live video of Go and appearing in several events. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
