Duterte won’t issue medical bulletins following ‘unbearable’ back pain

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday rejected the idea of issuing regular medical bulletins to the public after he experienced “unbearable pain” in his spinal column while on an engagement in Japan last week.

“No. Wala naman ‘yon sa ano. Hindi naman kailangan. Kung hindi na ako makatindig, sabihin ng asawa ko sa inyo,” he told reporters in Malacañang.

His spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier said the Palace would not release medical bulletins, arguing the Constitution only requires disclosure in case of serious illness.

Reporters also inquired with Duterte about his back pain, to which the President replied: “It requires a lengthy explanation actually, ‘yung muscle spasm must be precipitated with something.”

“A muscle spasm by itself is not really nothing. There has to be something. Ayoko munang sabihin sa inyo. But then again it’s connected with the spinal ano,” he said.

The President admitted that he still feels back pain.

“Sabi man ng doktor huwag daw akong mag-iingay. Straight man ako maglakad basta may tao. Pero ‘pag wala ng tao, ayay. Masakit,” he said.

Duterte ended up with scrapes and bruises following a motorcycle accident inside the Presidential Security Group compound within the Malacañang Complex on October 16.

He had to cut short his trip to Japan on October 22, where he attended the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito, because of an “unbearable pain” in his spinal column which his doctor said was a case of muscular spasm.

The Palace said the President’s doctor had advised him to take some rest and limit his physical activity as world leaders including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi expressed their concern for Duterte.

Duterte will travel to Thailand later this week to attend the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and meetings with other foreign dignitaries. — BM, GMA News