Palace: Nothing to worry about on Duterte’s health after cancer ‘joke’

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks about his having cancer is nothing but another joke, and the public has nothing to get worried about, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday.

Duterte, during his address on Thursday night, suddenly coughed and said it “could be cancer.”

“On the basis naman of what I also on TV ‘no, I would say, nagbibiro naman po iyong Presidente, kasi naubo nga po siya tapos sabi niya baka cancer na ito ‘no,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

“So I think that is really a joke of the President and should not be taken to mean na may cancer talaga siya,” he added.

Roque said he does not have any information that would cause worry for the President’s health.

Roque also assured that Duterte would let the public know if he has a serious condition.

Given his advanced age, Duterte’s health has been a recurrent issue throughout his administration, prompting a lawyer to petition the Supreme Court to require the release of the President’s medical records.

In August last year, Duterte revealed that his Barrett’s esophagus was deteriorating, with his doctor advising him to watch his diet because it could progress to stage 1 cancer.

EDV