Sara Duterte says father Rodrigo's skin condition improving

Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday said former President Rodrigo Duterte’s skin condition has improved after personnel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention unit attended to it, but said his legal team is seeking an explanation on what caused the lesions because of his diabetes.

Sara said she checked her father’s back during her visit and noticed that the red spots she had previously described had already dried up.

“Chineck ko siya kanina, chineck ko yung likod niya, at natuyo na… ‘yung mga bilog-bilog na pula. Pagdating ko, sobrang pula nila at parang pimple-looking. Natuyo na siya,” she said.

(I checked him earlier and examined his back, and the small red spots had already dried up. When I first saw them, they were very red and looked like pimples. They’ve already dried up.)

She thanked the ICC detention unit for immediately addressing the condition.

Despite the improvement, Sara said the condition remains a concern because the former president has diabetes.

Sara said she had asked Duterte’s lawyers to seek information from authorities about what caused the skin irritation after her father said he could not explain how it developed.

“Concern siya dahil diabetic si PRRD. As much as possible, ayaw natin na masugatan kahit anong parte ng katawan niya,” she said.

(It’s a concern because PRRD is diabetic. As much as possible, we don’t want any part of his body to sustain wounds.)

Sara said the family and the defense team want to know what triggered the skin condition so they can advise the former president on what to avoid and prevent possible infection.

“Sabi ko sa lawyer, kung puwede sana mapaalam sa amin, sa defense group, at sa pamilya kung ano ’yun para masabihan si PRRD na iwasan ’yung mga bagay na maka-trigger sa kaniyang balat para hindi ma-infect.”

(I told the lawyer that if possible, we hope they can inform us, the defense group, and the family what caused it so we can advise PRRD to avoid whatever may have triggered the skin reaction and prevent it from becoming infected.)

She added that the condition has not affected Duterte’s daily activities.

“Nakatayo nga siya. Gusto niya ipakamot ‘yung sa likod niya,” she said.

(He’s able to stand. He wanted someone to scratch his back.)

Sara then said she advised her father to request an ice pack to help relieve the itching.

Former President Duterte is under ICC custody in The Hague in connection with the court’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. He has since denied the allegations. — RSJ, GMA News