LUCENA CITY—Exiled communist party founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison again inserted himself into the discussion about President Rodrigo Duterte’s health, saying his friendly advice to his former student was resign, get full medical treatment and rest.
“This is the best service that he can render to the people now,” said Sison, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder, from his base in Utrecht, the Netherlands on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Sison sent his statement by e-mail to Inquirer in response to Duterte’s latest admission about his health—that his illnesses go with his advanced age.
“I am glad that Duterte admits what has become undeniable, his serious illnesses, long absences and failure to appear in important occasions and sessions even during international meetings,” Sison said.
“These illnesses take a toll on his mental and working capacity,” he added.
Duterte was Sison’s student at the Lyceum of the Philippines.
Duterte once admitted that Sison played an important part in molding his political beliefs, which led him then to become a member of Kabataang Makabayan, an underground youth movement.
At a press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, Nov. 19, Duterte disclosed he’s being hounded by several health issues because of his old age. He is now 74 years old.
The President, however, said he could not afford to rest as the nation’s leader.
“I cannot take a rest. I just go home and sleep for two days to make up for the shortfall,” the President confessed to Malacañang reporters.
But Sison raised concern that Duterte’s health condition was having an effect on the discharge of his duties as President.
“It is grave disservice to the people that he insists on staying in his position and is limited to making occasional psywar antics with regard to his bogus war on drugs and his futile war against the revolutionary movement and the people,” Sison said.
Duterte’s health has been a recurring issue in his presidency.
But Malacañang insisted there was no need to release a medical bulletin on Duterte’s health although it was required by the 1987 Constitution.
Last week, Sison had asked Duterte to just resign and yield his seat to Vice President Leni Robredo as his health has taken a beating from years of consuming fentanyl, a highly-addictive and deadly synthetic opioid taken as pain killer.