Palace exec denies Duterte sought cancer treatment in China

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte’s long-time aide denied yesterday that the Chief Executive visited a cancer hospital in China while he was out of the public eye during the first few days of the year.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go said the President never left the country during his private time.

“(I am) 100 percent (sure) that we never left (the country) during that period,” Go said in a chance interview. 

He said anyone could check Chinese hospitals or immigration records to determine if the President went abroad for a checkup.

Go was asked to react to a column that appeared in a broadsheet yesterday. 

The columnist claimed to have received reports that Duterte recently flew to China on a private plane to meet with doctors of the Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou. 

Duterte was urged to learn from the experience of former president Ferdinand Marcos, who underwent kidney transplants while Malacañang was making it appear that he was in perfect health. 

The 71-year-old Duterte previously denied that he has cancer but admitted to having spinal problems and Buerger’s disease, an ailment caused by smoking. He also admitted suffering from migraine every day.

Palace officials repeatedly claimed that the President is healthy and remains capable of performing his duties.