President Rodrigo Duterte will attend the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand despite his doctors’ advice to limit his physical activities, Malacañang said Sunday.
The Palace assurance came amid continued concerns about the President’s health, after he was seen holding onto a cane and wearing an air purifier around his neck last week.
“The fact alone that we still see the President means he is okay. Otherwise, he will not attend it,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
Duterte is expected to attend the 35th Asean Summit and Related Summits in Thailand from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.
Asian leaders have also expressed their concern for Duterte, who was prompted to cut short his trip to Japan to attend the enthronement rites of Emperor Naruhito on Oct. 22 due to muscle spasms.
He went home ahead of the schedule after he complained of unbearable pain in the pelvic and spinal parts of his body which was aggravated, according to Duterte’s doctors, by a motorcycle accident at the Palace grounds.
Duterte returned to the country ahead of schedule and missed the banquets hosted by the Emperor and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
His daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, represented him in both events.
Among those who expressed concern for Duterte were Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Japan’s Abe.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko also expressed their get-well thoughts for Duterte.
Panelo said it was not surprising that Asian leaders have expressed their concern to the President.
“They look up to the President for his bravery and political will. It is natural to express concern,” he said.
“But we assure them, as the President assures them, he is okay. He does not do anything which will aggravate his pain and he takes on his medication,” Panelo added.
On Friday, Duterte’s longtime aide Senator Christopher “Bong” Go posted online a photo of the President showing him riding an all-terrain vehicle, in an apparent bid to prove he is well.
Go, however, later admitted to GMA News that the photo was edited “for security reasons.” He did not elaborate.