Duterte healthy at his age: Palace

MANILA – Malacañang said on Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte is healthy for his age.

Acting presidential spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the statement after it was announced that Duterte underwent mandatory quarantine after exposure to a household staff who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“Pagkatapos ng kaniyang (After his) routine medical checkup, okay naman si Pangulo ‘no (The President is okay), he is as healthy as any healthy individual at his age could be,” Nograles said in a virtual press briefing.

He said Duterte’s last day of exposure to a Covid-19 positive case was last January 28, upon the assessment of the President’s physician.

Nograles’ earlier said Duterte’s last day of exposure was on January 30.

“So upon assessment ng physician ni Pangulo ‘no, ang dapat i-consider or maituturing na date of last exposure ni Pangulong Duterte to a positive Covid case was Friday, January 28, 2022. Bagama’t mayroong member of the household staff na nag-positive din for Covid, noong Sunday, January 30, 2022, upon assessment ng physician, hindi ito maituturing na exposure kay Pangulo per se kasi hindi siya close contact (So upon asssessment of the President’s physician, the considered date of last exposure of the President to a positive Covid cases was Friday, January 28, 2022. While there is one household staff who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, January 30, 2022, upon the physician’s assessment, this is not considered as an exposure of the President per se because he is not a close contact) as per the circumstances,” he said.

Earlier, he said Duterte tested negative on January 31 and February 1.

He also said Duterte’s recent visit to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan “is for his routine medical check-up only.”