SEC. PANELO: Good morning MPC. I’d like to thank National Security Adviser Sec. Jun Esperon for giving this ten minute briefing on the President’s state of health. Any question?
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Sir, may we know how’s the President, because last night we saw his picture riding again in a motorcycle?
SEC. PANELO: After the dinner last night, when he went to Bahay Pagbabago, he decided to ride in that motorcycle for a few minutes; parang exercise, iyon lang. Iyon lang yun.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Sir, whose motorcycle is that?
SEC. PANELO: Ah iyon ang hindi ko naitanong kung kaninong motorcycle iyon.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Pero, sir, hindi ba bawal kay Presidente to ride a motorcycle after the accident—
SEC. PANELO: Hindi naman. If you noticed, that is a three-wheeled motorcycle. So walang kaproble-problema, hindi sesemplang iyon. Sinubukan niya lang, wala pa yatang five minutes iyon.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: But is he still feeling the pain on his back, sir?
SEC. PANELO: I talked to him yesterday morning. He said that—he’s taking some pain relievers and he feels much better today. And the doctor told him na it’s really muscular spasm. And that happens, it happened to me several years ago, it took me a week before I was able to end the ordeal.
He is in Davao now, he will stay there and rest and will be back Monday for some events and then go back for the Undas to visit the parent’s grave.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: Sir, siguro you are aware of that article of certain Ding Velasco. And just to clear the record, is it true that the President actually made the consultation to a neurologist and is it true that he has this unbearable pain in Japan, just to set the record.
SEC. PANELO: First, with respect to the article, it’s absolutely false. Walang katotohanan iyong sinasabi nila na inisnob siya, na iyong lugar niya hindi sa heads of state. In fact, I don’t know if one of you or two of you got the photos that I posted; I think I send ABS. In the photo taken by Robert Borje, our Chief Protocol, you will see that the President was with the heads of state and royalties, hindi totoo iyon. In fact, si Presidente lang yata – if you can count in your fingers – ang binigyan ng bullet proof vehicle at sinalubong din siya sa airport; ang laki ng respeto ng Japanese government kay Presidente.
Now, with respect doon sa—talagang may kinonsulta siya, kasi nag-MRI siya eh. Nag-MRI siya at ibig niyang malaman kung konektado ito sa spinal column niya, eh nakita sa MRI na talagang muscular spasm lang.
REYMUND TINAZA/BOMBO RADYO: So, just to set the record again. So contrary to the claim of that article, the President actually had an unbearable pain and it’s not an invention, just to cover up the alleged snub from the Japanese government?
SEC. PANELO: You know, if you will look at the photo of the President, kahit nung pagbaba niya pa lang sa eroplano… in fact tinanong ko siya, sabi ko were you able to sleep? Sabi niya, ‘yes.’ ‘Eh ba’t ganun ang mukha?’ Sabi niya, ‘grabe ang sakit eh.’
In fact I was asking Chief Protocol Robert if I can have some photos, ang sabi niya, ‘hindi namin ni-release kasi ang sama ng mukha ni Presidente, talagang in pain.’ Sabi ko, ‘dapat inilabas n’yo nga iyon eh.’ Kaya nga hinihingi ako para makita.
Alam mo, iyong mga hindi pa sa inyo naka-feel ng muscular spasm, I did, maniwala kayo, you will not want it done to the worst of your enemies, napakasakit, grabeng sakit.
PRINCE: Sir, good morning. Sir, you said earlier that Duterte was advised by his doctors to rest, pero mukhang hindi po nakapagpahinga iyong Presidente, since his return from Japan trip—
SEC. PANELO: Actually, ang ano sa kanya, hinay-hinay ka lang, dahil hindi ka naman na spring chicken. Wag kang masyadong matagal iyong duration ng standing mo saka walking. Iyong activity niya tuloy pa rin, pero i-minimize mo iyong physical activity mo; saka siguro iyong mga events niya, iyong space, i-space niya dahil masyadong punishing ang schedule. Otherwise, he is in good health, we don’t have to worry about that.
FRANCIS: Sir, nabanggit n’yo na okay naman si Presidente. Will he be able to attend iyong ASEAN Summit next week?
SEC. PANELO: Oh, definitely!
FRANCIS: Saka APEC, sir?
SEC. PANELO: He will be leaving on the first, to Bangkok.
FRANCIS: So, kung ano iyong schedule niya, sir, tuloy pa rin ba, walang mababago sa schedule, sir?
SEC. PANELO: Tuloy pa rin iyon, walang magbabago doon, pero iyong spacing medyo babaguhin na natin, kasi nga punishing masyado eh.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: Sir for the record, saang ospital po nagpa-check up is Pangulong Duterte?
SEC. PANELO: Iyan ang hindi ko alam, parang hindi nabanggit.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: And would you know the doctor kung kanino siya nagpatingin?
SEC. PANELO: Ang importante doon, okay siya, muscular spasm, iyon ang mahalaga sa lahat.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: Opo, sir. Kasi may mga naka-notice na mas maganda daw po sanang iyong doctor na lang iyong hinarap ni Senator Go to explain to the media—
SEC. PANELO: Eh siguro kung serious iyong usapan, eh dapat talaga doctor; pero kung muscular spasm lang, hindi na kailangan. In fact, kagabi ang ganda ng itsura niya, if you noticed, kung nakita n’yo.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: Sir, nagre-request ang MPC ng medical bulletin. Will the Palace issue for once and for all—
SEC. PANELO: Hindi na, hindi na kailangan iyon. Alam mo ang medical bulletin comes into play only when the President is in serious illness – that is a constitutional requirement.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: In spirit of transparency, sir, is there a need to—
SEC. PANELO: More transparent, sinabi na nga sa inyo, ito ang sakit ko, sobra na ngang transparent eh.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: Sir, iyong pagmo-motor ni Presidente Duterte, may clearance ba iyon ng doctor niya, kinonsulta muna niya iyon bago niya ginawa?
SEC. PANELO: Eh, wala naman iyon eh, kumbaga, sumakay ka lang pinainit mo lang, tapos pinaandar mo lang ng konti, wala iyon. Don’t think that is a deviation.
JOYCE BALANCIO/DZMM: So, the President doesn’t see the need to consult first the doctor, if it’s okay to ride again a motorcycle?
SEC. PANELO: Hindi na. Eh siguro natanong niya na iyon, otherwise hindi niya gagawin, eh masunurin iyan eh, masunurin sa doctor. Okay, thank you very much. We will give you now Secretary Jun Esperon, National Security Adviser. Thank you.
##
Source: PCOO-NIB (News and Information Bureau-Data Processing Center)
