‘Duterte in kama, not coma’

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte’s trusted aide disputed yesterday the claim of communist leader Jose Ma. Sison that the Chief Executive went into a coma.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go said Sison must have been dreaming.

“The President is in a kama (bed), not in coma,” Go said. “Sison must have mistaken his name as ‘Coma’ – exchanging the J in Joma to C to make it appear as coma.”

Another Malacañang official downplayed talks about the supposed deterioration of the President’s health.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Duterte remains healthy and “as strong as a horse.”

“Contrary to what Joma Sison said, the President is fine and well. He is participating in the Kadayawan festival in Davao. He will have a public appearance tomorrow (Aug. 21) with the League of Cities in Cebu City,” Roque told reporters.

Sison posted on Facebook that Duterte went into a coma on Sunday.

Sison also claimed that those who saw Duterte during a gathering of Lex Talionis fraternity on Saturday noticed that the alleged discoloration in the President’s face had worsened.

The President’s walk and handshake have become more unstable, the rebel leader added.

In a statement posted on the National Democratic Front website, Sison said, “People are awaiting the public appearance of Duterte and a medical bulletin from his office.”

Sison claimed that another report circulated that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and key Cabinet men have formed a caretaker committee “to run the government while Duterte is indisposed.”

“This report needs to be verified or negated by Duterte’s public appearance,” he said.

Sison has been on self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987.

“I don’t understand why Joma Sison said the President was in coma. He is in far away Netherlands, how would he know?” Roque said.

Roque said the President’s face might have been dark during the fraternity’s anniversary because he passed on the powder.

“Normally, the President wears powder. Maybe there was a photo taken of him without powder. I did not see anything extraordinarily different from the color of the President’s face,” Roque said.

Roque said there was no need to issue a medical bulletin since the President is not confined in hospital.

“Joma Sison is a spent revolutionary, not a doctor. So let’s not listen to him as far as medical condition is concerned,” Roque said.

He said former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who was present during the Lex Talionis event, had told him that Duterte was “in high spirits.”

“I’d like to tell the critics of the President: stop wishing him ill as far as his health is concerned because every time you wish him ill, he becomes stronger,” the spokesman said. “The President is as strong as a horse.”

Duterte would be staying in Davao City for the next two weeks prior to his state visit to Israel, according to Roque.

With regard to claims that the President’s hands were shaking, Roque said, “He was shaking in anger, especially on the issue of corruption.”

Duterte has sacked officials of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation and Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center for alleged corruption.

Roque said spreading rumors that a person is afflicted with disease is libelous.

Duterte previously admitted experiencing migraine and suffering from Buerger’s disease, a sickness caused by smoking.  

He has also revealed that he has spinal problem and an impaired hearing because of a motorcycle accident.

Senators react

Senators from the majority bloc dismissed claims that President Duterte fell ill.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who is Duterte’s partymate in PDP-Laban, said Sison’s statements should not be taken seriously.

“The President is healthy. Why believe in the report of someone hundreds of kilometers away in Europe?” Pimentel told reporters.

Sen. Cynthia Villar said she was with Duterte last Friday in Davao City and the President was his usual self: angry with corrupt officials and happy meeting ordinary people.

“When you’re the President, there would be a lot of stories coming out, that’s expected but I don’t think that’s true and we should not be worried about it,” Villar said.

House Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay Jr. said the President should not dignify Sison’s statement.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said Sison must be talking about a different President. – With Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano

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