Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Thursday that despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s admission that his Barrett’s esophagus condition is worsening and may progress to stage 1 cancer, the Chief Executive is in a “good state of health.”
Speaking in a radio interview, Duque said that the 75-year old President is “okay” and added that the President’s directives are clear during their meetings.
“What he said is clear and his frame of mind is very clear,” said Duque as he observed the President during their Cabinet meetings.
“His orders to us, his desires, his priorities, he clearly delivers to us- his Cabinet. He is okay. I don’t see any problem. He is in a good state of health,” added Duque who has been embroiled in the issue of corruption at Philhealth.
Duterte had admitted in public that he has Buerger’s disease and Barrett’s esophagus.
He also said that he has been experiencing occasional headaches and has spinal issues which he attributes to a motorcycle accident when he was 68 years old.
Critics of the President have been demanding to make public his health condition.
The Supreme Court was again urged to reconsider its decision dismissing a petition seeking to compel Malacanang to make public Duterte’s medical records.
In a new manifestation dated Aug. 26, lawyer Dino De Leon pressed the high court to reverse its decision rejecting his plea to release the President’s medical records and to set the case for oral arguments.
He cited Duterte’s recent admission that his Barrett esophagus, a disease involving the tissue in the esophagus, was nearing stage-one cancer as more than enough reason for the high court to give due course to his plea.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque denied that Duterte was sick, saying he was healthy and fit to work.
He said Duterte only repeated what his doctor had told him a “long time ago” when he disclosed to the public that his Barrett’s esophagus was “nearing stage-one cancer.”
“He’s clean-living, no more smoking, no drinking alcohol as advised by his doctors,” Roque said.