Noy quells rumors: No breakdown, no head injury

MANILA, Philippines - No, he didn’t have a nervous breakdown or fall and hit his head and become incoherent.

In a phone conversation shortly before noon yesterday, President Aquino assured The STAR he was fine amidst rumors that circulated late Friday night that he had collapsed or was near catatonic and unresponsive.

The President said his personal doctor, who sees him “almost every week,” has consistently given him a clean bill of health, except for bouts of hyperacidicty brought about by missing meals, such as when he spent over 13 hours straight talking to families of the slain police commandos after the necrological service at Camp Bagong Diwa last Jan. 30. All he had to eat the whole day, a source revealed, was a sandwich.

The President also has an intermittent smoker’s cough.

Malacañang also assured the public yesterday that President Aquino is doing fine.

“I have communicated with the President regarding the rumors circulating tonight that he had collapsed, and he immediately responded to my text with ‘No such thing’,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said a text message at past 1:30 a.m. yesterday as the Palace was bombarded with queries on Aquino’s condition.

“We hope this settles the issue tonight and may we ask media to disseminate the information accurately,” Lacierda added.

Also yesterday, the Palace issued an advisory that the President would visit the New Executive Building inside the Malacañang compound where the media covering Aquino were housed but this was called off due to time constraints. A source also said Aquino will be with his family today for their regular Sunday gathering.

A tweet about Aquino’s collapse was preceded and followed by wild speculations, like he was in state of shock and could not talk comprehensively with anyone, that he tripped and fell, hitting his head on the floor but refused to be taken to the hospital, that his sisters had rushed to the Palace to take care of him, and that he had an argument with the owner of a television station and broke down.

“As you know I was in Kawit yesterday (Friday) inaugurating the museum,” Aquino told The STAR, that his team of close-in security makes sure that he does not trip and fall and hit his head.

Aquino’s critics had recently been pressing calls for his resignation because of the alleged failures of his administration, including the incident in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25 where 44 police commandos were killed.

But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over dzRB there had been no indications that the President would give in that easily, as he had been continuously working and has not complained about anything related to his health.

“The last week that I have been with the President, he has been okay. He never mentioned any ailment,” Valte said. “But I can assure you that the President’s health is in good condition, according to his physician.”

The President on Friday inaugurated the modernized Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite and met with a number of people at the Palace.

She lamented that the rumors were quite strange, coming from out of the blue.

“But I recall this is not the first time that this happened. I think around two to three years ago, we were also suddenly asked about a Cabinet secretary who supposedly collapsed in Malacañang and, of course, there was no truth to that. And also, a similar rumor came out (involving) one of our high-ranking GOCC (government-owned and controlled corporation) officials…another unfounded rumor. So we really don’t know where these things come from,” Valte said.

She appealed for prudence in disseminating sensitive information like that concerning Aquino’s health condition given its implications and the alarm or panic it could cause because of his position.