‘I’m not yet cancerous’ – Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte talks to media during a briefing at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. INQUIRER.net/Nestor Corrales

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he tested negative for cancer.

“I’m not yet cancerous so do not be afraid to go near me, I won’t contaminate you,”

Duterte told reporters in a briefing at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace.

The President said the results of his diagnostic tests were negative.

“It’s negative for [cancer],” he said, after undergoing colonoscopy and endoscopy.

He admitted his doctors earlier suspected he had cancer.

“It’s negative for [cancer] — they had a suspicion but they had… I said this specimen taken out from the esophageal tube and somewhere here,” he said.

The President has previously admitted to having Barrett’s esophagus, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.

“If you mean was I found positive of cancer? No, it’s not the colon. It’s my Barrett’s [esophagus]. Dito ‘yan. It’s badly eroded because I was told to stop drinking years ago,” Mr. Duterte said.

He said he was back into his habit of drinking at night despite warnings from his doctors.

“But of late, bumalik kasi ako. I don’t know for one reason or another, I just like to drink, brandy po. Ngayon sa totoo, before I sleep, even if I’m alone, nag-three shots ako bago matulog,” he said. /kga