Release Duterte’s medical bulletin? President is not sick, Roque says

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque insisted Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte “is not sick” amid requests for the Palace to release the President’s medical bulletin as speculations on his health condition continue.

“A medical bulletin is only given when the President is sick and he is not sick,” Roque said in a press briefing.

During the press briefing, Roque was also asked why it was not Duterte who announced the new quarantine status in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus Bubble especially when the former is sick with COVID-19.

“Halos isang taon na nung ako’y bumalik, talagang ako ang naga-anunsyo nyan except lang kung yung simula ng buwan coincides with the Talk to the People on a Monday,” Roque said.

Duterte’s absence from the public eye has fueled speculation that the President’s health condition is declining.

The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo even became a trending topic on Twitter as Filipino netizens questioned his absence from the public eye at the height of the record-high single-day tally of coronavirus cases in the country.

However, over the weekend, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go released an undated photo and video of Duterte playing golf and riding a three-wheeled motorcycle.

JE