No need for Duterte to bare health records

FILIPINOS WHO wanted President Rodrigo Duterte to make public his health records will have to abide by the Supreme Court decision junking a petition filed in April by a lawyer seeking the release of medical records and health bulletins of the 75-year old former Davao City mayor.

Lawyer Dino de Leon said the public release of Duterte’s medical bulletins was necessary, given the gravity of the illnesses openly acknowledged by the President.

Duterte admitted suffering from muscle spasms, chronic back pains, and migraines and also has myasthenia gravis - a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that weakens skeletal muscles responsible for breathing and moving parts of the body - and has Barrett’s esophagus, a potentially serious complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Buerger’s disease, a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs.

He also admitted using fentanyl, a powerful painkiller, because of a spinal injury from past motorcycle accidents. And that he was taking marijuana to keep him awake, citing his hectic schedule.

But Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who welcomed Supreme Court’s decision, said there are no legal and factual grounds to compel Duterte to disclose his health records.

“We note the latest decision of the Supreme Court dismissing the petition to disclose the President’s health records. We maintain that the petition has no legal and factual bases. We believe it is designed to distract the President from his job and erode the confidence of the Filipinos in PRRD’s leadership, particularly in this time when we are confronted with extreme health crisis,” he said.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said 13 Supreme Court justices voted against the petition of De Leon while only two magistrates dissented. “Naglabas po ang Korte Suprema ng desisyon doon sa (petition) nai-file nitong abugado na pinipilit ang Pangulong Duterte na maglabas ng findings sa kaniyang kalusugan. Dinismiss po outright,” Panelo said.

Panelo also welcomed the high tribunal’s decision, noting that Duterte need not divulge his health records because he has no serious illness. “So walang batayan. Napakaliwanag naman po kasi na wala siyang malubhang sakit. He has no serious illness,” he said, adding, Duterte can only be forced to divulge his medical bulletins if he is seriously ill.

“Under the Constitution, ang pangulo ng bansa ay kino-compel na magbigay siya ng kalagayan ng kaniyang kalusugan kung siya ay may malubahang sakit. Iyan lamang po ang panahon na maaari nating pilitin ang isang presidente ng bansa,” he said.

Under Article 7, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution, the President is mandated to declare the real status of his health in case of serious illness.

Despite his age and health problems, Duterte repeatedly assured the public that he remains fit to work and can fulfill his mandate as the country’s highest elected official. (Ruth Abbey Carlos and Benjamin Pulta. With a report from Mindanao Examiner.)

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