No more doubt on Duterte’s ‘fitness to govern,’ says Panelo of SC ruling

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the petition calling for the disclosure of President Rodrigo Duterte’s health record should “put to rest” any doubts on the Chief Executive’s well being, his chief legal counsel said Friday.

In a statement, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo insisted that the plea is “obviously a groundless petition deserving of an outright dismissal” from the high court.

“The SC decision should put to rest any doubt on the President’s fitness to govern the country,” he said.

“Moreover,  any citizen need not go to the SC to compel the President to show his state of health if he is suffering from a serious illness. He is a very transparent President, he tells us what ails him if he feels unwell,” he added.

SC spokesperson and Public Information Office chief, Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka earlier confirmed the dismissal of the petition filed by Atty. Dino S. De Leon.

In his petition, De Leon cited Duterte’s “incoherent, unresponsive, and filled with unintelligible rumblings,” as well as his “pallid condition,” in his recent public addresses amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Duterte’s state of health has been a recurring issue in his presidency given his advanced age.

The 75-year-old President has admitted publicly that he has, among other things, Buerger’s disease and Barrett’s esophagus, and that had been experiencing occasional headaches and has spinal issues which he attributes to a motorcycle accident when he was 68 years old.

EDV