Duterte threatens to slap ex-senator for spreading rumors on his health

Former Senator Francisco Tatad AFP FILE PHOTO

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he would slap former Senator and columnist Francisco “Kit” Tatad when they cross paths for spreading rumors about his supposed deteriorating health.

“There’s a border between press freedom and pagbabastos ng tao. ‘Pag una kitang makita, iwasan mo ako. P****** sampalin kita,” Duterte said during his party PDP-Laban’s campaign kickoff here in Bulacan.

Duterte also dared Tatad to prove his virility as he was already diabetic.

This was not the first time Duterte mocked the former senator for supposedly spreading false news about his health.

In 2017, the President alleged that Tatad has enlarged testicles and venereal disease.

In his column published in a broadsheet last June 2017, Tatad, quoting “highly informed sources,” said Duterte had suffered a mild stroke and was brought to Cardinal Santos Medical Center, where he reportedly also underwent peritoneal dialysis — a treatment for an early kidney disorder. /kga