Pangilinan to Duterte: Nothing personal in asking about your health

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Pangilinan shot back at President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, saying the chief executive’s health is a matter of national interest.

Pangilinan’s statement came a day after the president criticized him and Sen. Leila De Lima after they challenged Duterte to reveal the true state of his health. The president said that the two senators were not really concerned about his condition and were eagerly waiting for his demise.

The president’s health is not only a personal issue but also an issue that concerns the nation, according to Pangilinan, the president of the decimated Liberal Party. De Lima, who has been communicating through notes from a detention cell in Camp Crame, is also from the LP. 

The senator emphasized that the issue on Duterte's health is part of his job as the president of the country.

“Ang kalusugan ng Pangulo ay hindi lamang personal na usapin. Usapin ito ng interes ng bansa, kaya nga ito nakasaad sa Saligang Batas. Hindi ito personal,” the Liberal Party president said, as he tried to answer the criticisms of a president who has, in the past, taken criticism personally.

The president’s health became the topic of conversations in recent days after he disappeared from the public eye since Monday last week.

The president missed the country’s 119th celebration of Independence Day at the Luneta on Monday last week.

Malacañang said that the president was well and was just resting following a grueling schedule in the past few weeks which saw him declare martial law in Mindanao and fly back from Moscow.

However, Palace assurances failed to assuage fears and rumors that the president was seriously ill.

Amid questions on the president’s well-being, the government released photographs showing the president attending to some government papers in Bahay Pagbabago and preparing to leave for Davao City at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

Since last weekend, the president has had intermittent public appearances as he visited troops in Butuan City and joined celebrations of the founding day of the province of Agusan Del Norte.

On Wednesday, the president was his usual self again and had choice words for De Lima and Pangilinan, who had been calling for a full disclosure of his state of health as stipulated in the Constitution.

Duterte said that De Lima is interested only to hear of his death and does not care if the president was well.

“De Lima said I should tell the truth about where I was for two days. She said I should not lie to the nation. De Lima is only interested to hear about my death. She does not care if I live,” the president said in Cagayan De Oro City.

De Lima was jailed in February following allegations that she was involved in the illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. The senator denies this and claims that the cases are all politically motivated because of her continuous criticism of the administration’s policies especially its flagship war on drugs.

Duterte said that he believes that Pangilinan was also not concerned about his health.

“Why would they care if I die today or tomorrow? If I get sick or tired? Your only interest is to know where I am and whether or not I am dying or dead. I do not believe that you are concerned about me, Kiko,” Duterte said, calling Pangilinan by his nickname.

Pangilinan called on the president to understand that people’s concern about his health was natural.

He said: “Kahit sinong presidente pa ang nakaupo, kaalyado man o hindi, ganito rin ang ating magiging posisyon. Sana maunawaan niya ito.”