MANILA, Philippines — He has been declared cancer-free, but President Duterte stressed yesterday that he is not afraid of death.
“We’re getting old. Me, they said I am dying, of course I will die someday. There’s no problem with that,” the 73-year-old Duterte said during the launching of former president Fidel Ramos’ book “Prosper thy Neighbor” in Manila.
“Death should not worry anybody. It’s inevitable and it can happen any day,” he added.
Last month, Duterte admitted he had undergone endoscopy and colonoscopy, medical procedures that he said were related to the Barrett’s Esophagus he got when he was younger.
The medical condition has been tied to smoking and heavy drinking. Endoscopy is performed to check a patient’s digestive tract while colonoscopy is performed to detect abnormalities in the large intestine.
Earlier this month, Duterte revealed he went to Cardinal Santos Medical Center for endoscopy and even raised the possibility that he may have cancer.
He later on told reporters that he has been declared cancer-free.