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Friday, March 29, 2024

What ails Du30? Most Pinoys want to know–SWS

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Six in 10 Filipinos said the people should be informed about the state of President Rodrigo Duterte’s health, viewing it as a public matter, an independent pollster said Sunday.

READ: Duterte: I've undergone colonoscopy

A Social Weather Stations poll said 61 percent of Filipinos believed the people should have knowledge about Duterte’s health because it is a public matter.

Meanwhile, 33 percent of those polled maintained that Duterte’s medical information should be kept private.

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The proportion of those who said the President’s health was a public matter was highest in the Visayas at 65 percent, followed by Mindanao at 63 percent, Balance Luzon at 59 percent, and Metro Manila at 58 percent.

The survey also found that nearly half of Filipinos, or 45 percent of them, believe Duterte experiences problems with his health, 26 percent were not convinced he has health issues, while the remaining 29 percent were undecided about the matter.

The net belief that Duterte has health problems was highest in Metro Manila at +31, followed by Balance Luzon at +21, the Visayas at +14, and Mindanao at +12.

Asked how worried they are about Duterte’s health, a majority of those polled, or 55 percent of them, said they are concerned, while 44 percent were apathetic.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 15 to 23, came three days after Duterte revealed that doctors found a growth in his digestive tract during a medical procedure, prompting him to undergo another round of tests.

Duterte’s state of health has always been a cause of concern and a favorite topic of rumors as he exchanged barbs with the Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison about each other’s health.

In a speech before doctors in Cebu on Sept. 21, Duterte first confirmed he underwent an endoscopy.

Two weeks later, Duterte revealed before members of the Philippine Military Academy in Malacañang that he had a follow-up procedure to check “samples” taken from him.

Aside from Barrett’s esophagus, the 73-year-old President also admitted suffering “perpetual pain” from other medical conditions such as Buerger’s disease, a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and a spinal injury, which he obtained from a motorcycle accident.

READ: Cancer risk in Barrett’s disease

The Palace had previously said it will recommend to the President to bring in his personal physician to enlighten the public about his health to put speculation to rest.

Article VII, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution states that in case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.

“The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shall not be denied access to the President during such illness,” it says—but does not indicate what constitutes a serious illness.

The third quarter poll on President Duterte’s health used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide. The poll had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages; ±4 percent for Balance Luzon; and ±6 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Senator Francis Escudero on Sunday said the procedures that the President underwent were diagnostic in nature and do not constitute findings.

“What the Constitution is referring to is the findings or conclusions on his state of health,” Escudero said.

The denials of his spokespersons notwithstanding, the President himself candidly admitted the tests that he went through, Escudero said.

“I think he will be equally candid with respect to the findings, if any, and his spokespersons should take the cue from their boss… and not second guess him as regards his candidness and honesty with respect to this and other matters,” he added.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and Presidential Assistant Christopher Go had denied rumors about the President’s health last week when he skipped a Cabinet meeting and an event at the Palace.

Roque said the President was only at his residence to take the day off. Go also denied suggestions that the President was in hospital.

But Duterte later said he had paid a visit to the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City to undergo tests, prompting him to cancel his meeting with the Cabinet on Wednesday.

READ: Rody in hospital ‘for 2nd opinion’

Opposition Senator Francis Panigilinan, meanwhile, said it was difficult to take the President’s words seriously.

“The problem is we do not know if the President is serious or not. If this is true or simply another remark he will claim to be a joke,” said Pangilinan.

“If he is serious then full disclosure is required, but if not then it would be best that we stop such talk and focus our time and attention on looking for solutions to the serious problems of spiraling high prices of food, gasoline and other basic commodities,” the senator added.

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