Ex- Pres. Duterte has stopped taking fentanyl — Panelo

Former President Rodrigo Duterte | PHOTO: Official facebook page of Rody Duterte

MANILA, Philippines —  Former President Rodrigo Duterte stopped taking Fentanyl even before he was elected chief executive in 2016, his then chief legal counsel Salvador Penalo said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday alleged that the former president is taking fentanyl.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Panelo reiterated that Duterte publicly announced that he used to take Fentanyl — to relieve “the pain he got in a motorcycle accident that broke one of his shoulder.”

“The pain resulted from a motorcycle accident that broke his shoulder when he was still Mayor. He was operated on in St. Luke’s Quezon City and his doctor prescribed Fentanyl to ease his pain,” the lawyer said.

“[…] But that was before he became President. He had stopped taking it before his presidency because somehow the pain disappeared,” he added.

Citing medical professionals, Panelo also pointed out that the effect of excessive use of Fentanyl is “the risk of getting a fatal stroke,” but he claimed that “it does not include affecting or diminishing the mental faculties of the patient.”

According to Marcos, Duterte has been taking the painkiller for five to six years, which he said may have some effect on Duterte.

His revelation came after Duterte likewise disclosed that he saw Marcos’ name on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) watchlist during his speech at a prayer rally in Davao City on Sunday night.

Duterte also said the military and law enforcement agencies know about this issue.

In response, the PDEA said in a statement that Marcos was never on the government watch list for illegal drugs. The agency likewise pointed out that Duterte had his own narco-list when he became president in 2016.

On the other hand, Marcos laughed off the former chief executive’s allegations, saying that he “won’t even dignify the question.”