Duterte’s foreign trips in limbo due to health condition – Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte arrives to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito of Japan at the Imperial Palace on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, in Tokyo. Duterte last week cut short his Japan trip due to ”unbearable pain” in his spine after he fell from a motorcycle. On Tuesday, October 29, 2019, Malacañang says he upcoming foreign trips of Duterte remain in limbo due to his health condition. (Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP)

MANILA, Philippines — The upcoming foreign trips of President Rodrigo Duterte remain in limbo due to his health condition, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Duterte on Monday told reporters that “a muscle spasm by itself is not really a nothing,” adding that “there has to be something” but said his doctor told him to keep quiet.

“There will be a continuing consultation with his doctor,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Duterte is set to attend the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit on November 2 to 4 and is expected to join world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit on the second week of November.

The President is also scheduled to grace the Asean-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit on November 24 to 26 in Busan, South Korea.

While Panelo said Duterte’s attendance to the Asean Summit is now a go, nothing is certain on the President’s trip to Chile and South Korea.

“It depends on the advice of his doctor,” he said. “It will depend on his consultation with his doctor. If his doctor will not allow him to travel, then why will he travel?”

Duterte last week cut short his Japan trip due to ”unbearable pain” in his spine after he fell from a motorcycle.

But the President on Monday said there was no need to release his medical bulletin to quash speculations about his deteriorating health. /kga

READ: Duterte: No need for medical bulletin even if back still hurts