GMA adviser: I’m as healthy as a bull

New presidential liaison for political affairs Jose Rufino said yesterday he is "as healthy as a bull," strongly refuting reports that he is seriously ill.

He called up The STAR yesterday to deny that he recently underwent liver cancer treatment in the United States.

Rufino said his doctors at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California gave him a "clean bill of health" after conducting a battery of tests, but he did not say what illness prompted him to seek medical tests in the US.

"I’m healthy as a bull. My doctors at Stanford told me so and it is public record for anybody who wants to check it," he said.

Rufino noted that he later proceeded to Los Angeles with his wife, where they joined President Arroyo on her state visit to the US last May 17.

Rufino clarified the issues surrounding his health a day after he debunked Press Secretary Hernani Braganza’s claim that he was appointed by the President as her new presidential adviser on political affairs.

Rufino need not give up his post as presidential adviser on political affairs, which the latter concurrently holds along with the post of presidential liaison on political affairs, Braganza told The STAR.

Braganza is the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) deputy secretary general and vice president for youth, while Rufino is the executive director of the party’s national executive committee.

Braganza said he would give up his post as press secretary as soon as the President appoints his replacement.

He said that he himself went on medical leave since April 23 for minor "carotid" and diabetes problems. He originally filed a letter of resignation to the President, but was told to simply go on medical leave.

"But my doctors told me I am better now and I could resume my work. I just needed a rest," Braganza said. He is turning 38 this August.

The outgoing press secretary, who majored in political science at De La Salle University, said his new post is where he could use his expertise in resolving "election-related problems" of the ruling administration Lakas-CMD party.

"Political science is the only science that is not exact," he said.

Braganza, a former congressman from Pangasinan and a nephew of former President Fidel Ramos, was among the "Spice Boys" at the House of Representatives who spearheaded the impeachment proceedings against deposed President Joseph Estrada.

He was one of the President’s original Cabinet members when she first appointed him as agrarian reform secretary.

In the Cabinet reshuffle last November, he was named as press secretary to replace Ignacio Bunye, who was designated as presidential spokesman.

Braganza only assumed his post as press secretary in January and has had the shortest stint at this post in recent history.

The President, according to Braganza, has yet to name a new press secretary. He said he has not recommended anyone for the post.

"I hope the President would select one from the current press undersecretaries for purposes of continuity," Braganza said, referring to Milton Alingod, Carmen Suva, and Heracleo Nazareno.

Of the three, Alingod is reportedly the strongest candidate.