Impeachment, if not death

Diverticulitis is not an illness one should wish to afflict someone you like. At least two of my friends had experienced diverticulitis much earlier than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) falling ill with the same condition. Both of my friends attested that the abdominal pain was so unbearable it sent them to immediately seek relief in the hospital emergency room.

PBBM was rushed to the emergency room at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City last Jan. 21 for the same reason. Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro announced at a press briefing in Malacañang the next day that indeed President Marcos spent a whole night under medical observation at St. Luke’s as a “precautionary measure.”

Medical books describe diverticulitis as the inflammation of irregular bulging pouches called diverticula in the walls of the colon. According to my doctor-son, it is a common ailment of people as they get older. Having these pouches without symptoms is called diverticulosis, which is said to be very common, as in the case of PBBM.

According to Castro, PBBM was brought to hospital after experiencing “discomfort” but returned to work a few hours later. She quoted PBBM’s instructions to her to tell his critics who want him out not to be “too excited” by his unexpected bout with a previously undetected condition. The President’s doctors advised him to get well rested as they continue monitoring his condition, which remains stable, Castro added.

With so many eyes and ears all over the place, Castro jumped ahead of potential rumors and speculations on the President’s sudden hospital trip which might get viral on social media. More than for the sake of transparency, Malacañang is obviously more careful to stop the spread of a much more potent “virus” of unverified and unvetted information that comes out in the grapevine as rumors.

The public disclosure of the President’s being hospitalized was a wise decision by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) headed by Secretary Dave Gomez. Given the modern communication technology and the democratic space we have in our country, Gomez nipped in the bud naughty and nasty rumor mills that spread false information about the President’s state of health. A veteran journalist-turned-corporate public relations head before he was appointed to head his PCO team, Gomez proved worthy of the trust and confidence of PBBM.

Anyways, the rest of PBBM’s alter egos led by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto stepped up to the plate in representing PBBM in many events in and out of Malacañang that required his presence.

In a video released later that day by the PCO, PBBM himself appeared and bared his diverticulitis condition. As explained to him by his attending doctors, PBBM described his ailment as “a common complaint” of people who are “heavily stressed” and who are growing old. Despite the health scare, the 68-year-old appeared to be in good spirits in the video.

“Don’t worry. The rumors of my death are highly exaggerated,” PBBM good-naturedly chortled.

Actually, PBBM quoted this expression from the popular statement of the late American writer, Mark Twain, which appeared in the New York Journal on June 2,1897: “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” This was to correct newspaper accounts of Twain’s being ill or dead. At the time, Twain’s cousin James Ross Clemens was seriously ill in London. Some news reports confused him with Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the real name of Mark Twain.

This is the importance of getting ahead of the continuing dis-information campaign. Being truthful and transparent are the best protection against ill-wishers who naturally want to get the upper-hand in the information war.

Last Wednesday (Jan. 28), PBBM appeared anew online to update the public. Although he is visibly thinner, PBBM blamed it on his being on a soft diet. The President reassured the Filipino people that he continues to carry out his primary responsibilities of running the day-to-day affairs of the State while still under close medical observation.

“I’m fine. I’m feeling very, very different from the way I was feeling before. The problem has been fixed,” the President said in his personal vlog posted on social media accounts.

“But the doctors’ assessment was good, nothing serious. I just need to build up strength,” he told the public.

In a video shared by Castro on the same day last week, Marcos assured Filipinos that he remains in control of the government: “Don’t worry. I told you that last week. To those waiting for me to die, do not be excited. You became too excited. I am still here.”

While PBBM seemingly is unperturbed by the antics of his ill-wishers, making and spreading false information about a supposed death of the President is a very serious offense. No less than National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Angelito Magno is ready to lower the boom against identified vlogger Jack Argota. With a photo posted online, Argota attached a purported medical record bearing the name and logo of the hospital. Not only did the hospital subsequently disown it but it was very clear violation of data privacy, of a patient’s record shared with the public without consent.

“This has become a national concern and a matter of national security. It is correct that people have a right to know the public health of the President. But that does not give anyone permission to release anything and spread fake news,” Magno said in our “PolitikoTalks” on the Bilyonaryo News Channel last Friday night.

The stress of the job really takes its toll on the health of any one in power such as the president. As if stress is not enough, PBBM has to contend with two impeachment complaints now being heard at the House committee on justice. So far, the two complaints have hurdled the test of compliance on form. The final test on substance will be decided today.

If they cannot get him to die while on the job, PBBM’s enemies may try to get him by impeachment.