Pres. Duterte’s health a public concern — Lacson

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Friday said the public deserves to know the current state of health of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte as it is a public concern.

“The health of the president of any country is not his or his family’s private affair alone. It is a matter of public concern,” Lacson said in a statement.

“Having said that, it behooves Malacanang to disclose the current state of health of the president if only to quell any speculation about his health. The public deserves nothing less,” he added.

Lacson made this statement following speculations that the President is ill as he was noticeably absent from public eye for the past several days.

The President missed the Independence Day ceremonies at Rizal Park last Monday, fueling speculations that he is sick.

Malacanang, however, assured that the President is well and merely needed time to “rest.”

“The President is well. The President just needs (some rest)… After all, you have to consider that he has been on the road for at least 23 days fulfilling his martial law supervision. It has been really brutal so we have to allow him this kind of rest,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a previous Palace briefing.

Lacson, meanwhile, said that he is sure that the public would surely understand that the President was stressed by recent events.

“…The President is presently exposed to all kinds of stress and physical exhaustion due to numerous problems besetting the country, not to mention the sight of our soldiers being transported in coffins by military aircraft with all the grieving families waiting to bring them to their respective provinces. That indeed is very stressful,” Lacson said.