Duterte admits taking maintenance meds, says all people his age take them

President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted taking maintenance medication and undergoing daily checkup for vital signs, saying people his age usually take them.

Duterte made the admission during a taped interview with Unang Hirit when asked about the status of his health. The interview was aired on Monday.

"Kung may tatay ka man [na] 74 [years old], kayo kung ang tatay niyo 74, huwag kayong magtanong kung may maintenance kami. Lahat ng 74 may maintenance 'yan, aspirin, for heart," he said.

"You cannot be healthy forever, you cannot live forever, but you can work tapos kung may medisina ka, mag-inom ka," Duterte added.

Duterte said his body temperature and blood pressure are being monitored daily, as this is protocol observed even by various presidents.

"Dito kung Presidente ka, sa ayaw mo't sa hindi, lahat ng Presidente chine-check 'yung blood pressure mo tapos nire-record, hinihingi ng presidential security. Tapos 'yung dito sa kili-kili," Duterte said.

Duterte recently said that "life has begun to take its toll" on his health.

Last month, the President had a motorcycle accident inside Malacañang complex. He sustained some scrapes and bruises which he even showed to the public.

He also experienced “unbearable pain” in his spinal column, causing him to cut short his trip to Japan for the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito. His doctor said it was a case of muscular spasm.

The Palace has refused to release a medical bulletin for that particular case, reiterating that the President is not in serious illness.

Duterte had previously bared that he was suffering from "myasthenia gravis," a disease that causes muscle weakness; Buerger's disease, a condition that causes constriction of the blood vessels due to nicotine; and Barrett's esophagus, a disease involving the tissue in the esophagus. —Dona Magsino/KBK, GMA News