MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has defied his doctor’s advice to rest, his trusted aide said Wednesday, after the Chief Executive complained of unbearable pain in his spine.
“Actually, the President doesn’t want to rest. Even if the doctor advised him to rest, he doesn’t want to rest,” Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go told reporters in Filipino in Malacañang.
Go said Duterte prefers to work and go around.
“Hindi po siya makatagal sa bahay at talagang gusto niyang magtrabaho at gumala,” he said.
(He can’t stay long at home because he really wants to work and go around).
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Monday said Duterte would go on a three-day break, but later said the President won’t go on official leave and would just work from home in Davao City.
Duterte earlier complained of an “unbearable pain” in his spine after he fell from a motorcycle at the Malacañang compound in October.
After consultation with his doctor, Panelo said the President only experienced a muscle spasm.
But Duterte told reporters that “a muscle spasm by itself is not really a nothing,” and that “there has to be something” but said his doctor told him to keep quiet.
Go said Duterte is “okay,” adding that the President would visit North Cotabato on Friday, which was hard hit by a powerful earthquake.
He said Duterte would be “busy” next week with his public events.
Despite the doctor’s advice to rest, Go said Duterte, 74, is really “hardworking.”
“Hardworking at workaholic. That’s what I can say about the President,” he said.
Duterte earlier revealed he had undergone colonoscopy and endoscopy and that he has been undergoing regular blood tests.
The 74-year-old President also previously admitted suffering from Buerger’s disease, migraine, and back pains due to smoking during his youth. /je