FOR an administration that claims to be the first to pass an executive order on Freedom of Information, the current leadership shamefully lacks in adopting and adhering to its own rules.
On several instances within the five years of Duterte’s administration—when the country is battered by storms, calamities and even a year-old pandemic that has been resurging with much forcefulness—the president cancels his scheduled and pre-taped, rehearsed and edited late-night dialogues with the people with no explanation.
In the days that follow, his alter ego and former executive assistant-turned-Senator Christopher “Bong” Go releases cropped photos of his supposed outdoor activities as proof of the president’s health, as if people would believe it entirely.
Social media then buzzes busily with reactions of disbelief and scorn at the scripted released photos because naturally why should people take these photos at face value.
“What we need are medical bulletins, not staged photos, please!” remarked journalist Ellen Tordesillas in her vlog that appeared in disenfranchised ABS-CBN network, which now operates more in YouTube and Facebook and in least known cable frequencies.
Indeed, nothing beats the documented truth from medical bulletins on the question of a leader’s health.
Photographs—especially those showing long-shots that are hardly distinguishable—do not show anything substantial and convincing, especially if it is captioned with words asking for sympathy and understanding for a very elusive leader of the land (during crisis and conflicts).
I agree with Tordesillas’ view that a medical bulletin will “end once and for all talks about his health, which has become so unhealthy not only for him but also for the public.
The president was last seen live on TV on March 29. He missed his April 5 televised briefing. The talks about the president’s health have become morbid” as it was reported that over 100 members of the Presidential Security Group tested positive for COVID-19 and so did Presidential spokesman Harry Roque get confined for the disease.
To prove that the president is alive, Go released on April 7, Wednesday, a picture of Duterte and him in what looks like an office, with the Philippine Star issue of that day on the table.
On April 9, Friday, Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), only a written message from the president was issued. There was no video message even if his spokesperson assured that the President "remains fit and healthy for his age” at 76.
On April 10, Saturday, Go released a set of photos and a short video showing the president jogging at night. One photo (in photographers’ parlance—drawing) showed him riding a stationary motorbike with no indication when it was taken.
The photos only fueled more speculations. Why was it taken at night? Except for the one with Duterte on a bike, the pictures of him walking and (trying to )jog were long shots. Keen observers noticed that the person jogging had no paunch. Was that a double?
We will leave the forensics of those photos to the experts.
Meanwhile, tigilan na, please! Just release a medical bulletin!
Section 12 of Art. VII of the Constitution states: "In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health."
SWS survey
On Monday, the Social Weather Station released its September 2020 survey, which showed that 65 percent or two in three Filipinos believe Duterte’s health status is a “public matter that should be published for people to know.”
SWS said that the number of people who think that Duterte’s health is a public issue increased by four percentage points based on the data gathered from their September 17 to 20, 2020 surveys.In December 2019, 61 percent of Filipinos considered the Chief Executive’s state of health as a point of public discourse. The rest said otherwise.
“The [SWS] September 17-20, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey said the view that the President’s state of health is a public matter has always been dominant in the SWS surveys. The latest figure is 4 points above the 61% in December 2019 and September 2018,” it added.
The highest percentage of the people who believe Duterte’s state of health should be made public comes from Visayas, with 69 percent; followed by Metro Manila at 65 percent, and then Balance Luzon and Mindanao both with 64 percent.
Malacañang officials and former Duterte aide and now Senator Bong Go clarified that the President is physically fit and healthy, debunking rumors that he suffered a mild heart attack.
According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Duterte only canceled his address as a precautionary measure because several officers from the Presidential Security Group contracted COVID-19.
Duterte’s health keeps cropping up after he assumed office in 2016 being the oldest President ever elected in the country’s history.He has admitted that he had several lingering medical conditions like Buerger’s disease, Barrett’s esophagus, aside from experiencing occasional headaches and spinal issues due to a motorcycle accident.
He has also admitted to taking sleeping pills and Fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.
He also revealed experiencing constipation and having myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that destroys muscle receptors and can result in the drooping of eyelids, or overall weakness.
Roque’s ‘un-Christian” remark
Roque who twitted about being confined at PGH for again contracting COVID-19 first drew the ire of netizens, who questioned why he was privileged enough to get a room when most people—regardless of economic status—die while waiting for a room in a hospital.
A reporter eventually asked this in his regular briefing and the piqued spokesman said that is a very un-Christian question.
The Catholic Church—through Manila Cathedral Bishop Broderick Pabillo-- on Tuesday rebuked him saying “government officials must answer the public's questions with transparency” and that “it was uncalled for to label people who ask legitimate questions [as 'un-Christian].
How was that 'un-Christian,' it was an innocent question. That is the problem. When people ask, instead of answering the question, they respond with ad hominem, they attack the person. That is not right.”
The health department on Monday declined to comment on the alleged prioritization of Roque.
“If you are a Christian but you keep on getting ahead of others then you are not a true follower of Christ,” Pabillo said adding that Roque's move to get a spot in PGH is a big insult to patients who are waiting in line, who are sick and suffering from the hot weather, to search for hospitals.
Another insulting remark
Speaking of insults, the president told the people he had designed to be invisible—just like a kid playing prank-- during his scheduled address.
He dropped out of the public eye as Metro Manila and nearby provinces were placed under enhanced community quarantine and as the country continued to tally record-high daily COVID-19 infections.
Duterte said when he engages in his hobbies—motorbikes, playing golf or jogging/walking—he does them at night, not on regular office hours.
And whenever he goes home to Davao where he really lives, “that is my home, not Sta. Ana or Sampaloc in Manila. My fares to Davao are not paid by the people. The people must know that I am a resident of Davao City.”
The President warned critics amid rumors of his failing health. "If you want me to die early, you must pray harder," he said.