Palace sees no reason to disclose President’s health record

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella JAY LOZANO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS DIVISION

Malacañang insisted on Wednesday that there was no need to release the medical records of President Rodrigo Duterte, saying he was in the “best of health.”

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella made the statement after self-exiled Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Ma. Sison dared Duterte to reveal his health condition to the Filipino people.

READ: Joma dares Duterte to disclose health condition

“The President has again and again declared… And we can see that he is pretty much in control of his physic… physiology. He seems to be in the best of health,” Abella said in a Palace briefing.

Asked whether the President was willing to disclose his medical records, Abella said there was no need to do that.

“You know, there’s really no need to do that. As far as I can see, there’s really no need to do that,” he said.

During his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, Duterte claimed Sison has a colon cancer but the communist leader has denied it.

READ: Duterte reveals Joma Sison has colon cancer

Speculations about the President’s worsening health condition arose last month when Duterte was not seen in public for several days, skipping most of his important affairs including the Independence Day rites. However, Malacañang said the President was “just resting.” JPV