Robredo camp happy Duterte is well, reminds him of duty to disclose state of health

The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo is pleased that President Rodrigo Duterte is well, but reminded him of his constitutional obligation to disclose the "true state" of his health.

Robredo's spokesperson, former Akbayan party-list representative Ibarra Gutierrez, said they welcomed the 73-year-old president's reported declaration that he tested negative for cancer.

"Natutuwa kami na magaling si Presidente. Sabi ni VP naman, klarong-klaro, that nobody wants the President to be sick, we want him healthy," Gutierrez said in an interview at the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

"The Vice President understands that the President also took the oath. He understands the Constitution, and he should know kung ano 'yung kanyang obligasyong gawin sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon with respect to disclosures on his true state of heath," he added.

The 1987 Constitution requires a public disclosure of the chief executive's health in case of "serious illness." Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that Malacañang will abide by the law.

"Whatever the President has, it is not serious for the constitutional provision to apply," Roque earlier said, amid concerns about Duterte's health.

Not SolGen's business

Meanwhile, Solicitor General Jose Calida said it is not the government's chief lawyer's business to find out the health of anyone, including the president's.

"That's not the business of the Solicitor General to find out the health of anybody," Calida told reporters, also at the Supreme Court, when asked for a stand on the matter of a disclosure of the chief executive's health in view of the constitutional provision.

"Everyday, I'm praying for his health and for the health of other officials in government," he said.

But when pressed, he said disclosing Duterte's health is "up to the president" and is a "personal matter."

"I'm not a busybody; in other words, I mind my own business," he said. — BM, GMA News