President Rodrigo Duterte is back in driving his motorcycle one week after he had a minor accident and was diagnosed with a muscle spasm on Wednesday.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the president’s former aid, shared in a Facebook post this morning photos of him and Duterte riding a three-wheeled motorcycle.
“Ready na kami ni Tatay Digong!!! Sama kayo? Ready Set Go!!! – Kuya Bong Go,” the post read.
Bong Go told reporters in a text message that Duterte roamed around the Presidential Security Group (PSG) compound for 10 minutes.
Doctors advised Duterte to rest to ease muscle spasm, but the President said he ‘couldn’t live without riding’ motorcycle
Doctors recommended the President to rest for a few days and prescribed him pain relievers to ease Duterte’s muscle spasms pain.
“Even if he feels some pain, the President wants to work, move – he has a high pain threshold,” Go said.
Go also said the President insisted he could still ride his motorcycle despite the pain.
“He told me: ‘Bong, I couldn’t live without riding motorbikes’; his body is looking for it,” the senator said.
The health status of the 74-year-old president has been a recurring concern. Speculations quickly arise whenever Duterte misses official engagements such as the Emperor’s banquet in Japan.
The law demands transparency on the president’s health condition.
Section 12 of Article VII 1987 Constitution states: “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.”
In 2017, Duterte also suffered from back pains because of an earlier motorcycle accident.
Also this month, Duterte admits he has myasthenia gravis, a rare muscle disease during his visit to Russia. Because of the condition, Duterte said his eyelids dropped, and his muscles weakened.
Duterte also has Buerger’s Disease, a rare disease wherein blood vessels become inflamed, swell, and can become blocked with blood clots (thrombi), according to Mayo Clinic.
Despite all the President’s illnesses, Panelo said the public should not be “apprehensive.”