Duterte to attend ASEAN summit

Slight changes in schedule expected due to medical advice

President Duterte will push through with his visit to Thailand next week despite doctor’s advice to limit his physical activity.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President is expected to depart for Thailand on November 1 to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings.

Duterte is expected to join other ASEAN leaders and dialogue partners for the three-day summit on November 2 to 4 in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

“Definitely, he will be leaving on the 1st to Bangkok. Tuloy pa rin yun, walang pagbabago (That will push through, there’s no change],” Panelo said during a Palace press briefing.

Duterte last visited Bangkok in March for the first round of the regional summit.

Panelo however said there would be some changes in the “spacing” of the President’s schedule to help relieve his muscle spasms. The slight change in Duterte’s work schedule comes after the President has been advised by his doctor to rest to ease his muscle pain.

“’Yung spacing medyo babaguhin natin kasi nga punishing masyado [We will change the spacing of his schedule because it is too punishing],” Panelo said.

Malacañang had earlier announced that the President won’t need any surgical operation after complaining unbearable pain in

his spinal column.

The President, who cut short his Japan trip due to excruciating back pain, has been diagnosed with muscle spasms after undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan last Wednesday. He has been advised by his doctor to rest for a couple of days and limit his physical activity, particularly avoid standing or walking for long duration, according to the Palace.

Panelo added that the President was “presently feeling much better.”

No need for medical bulletin

Meanwhile, Malacañang said there was no need for the administration to release a medical bulletin on President Duterte’s health condition because the Chief Executive was only experiencing muscle spasms and nothing serious.

Panelo made the statement after Duterte was reported to ride a motorcycle despite the doctor’s order for him to limit his physical activities.

In a press briefing Friday, Panelo said there was no need to issue medical bulletin since the President was not experiencing anything serious.

“That’s not necessary. The medical bulletin comes into play only when the President is in serious illness. That is a constitutional requirement,” he said.

“It is not a serious illness. A medical bulletin is required only if he has a serious illness but it’s just muscle spasms and it was only for a short while,” he added.

Panelo said that Duterte was resting in Davao City and will return to Manila on Monday for some engagements. He said the President will then be spending the Undas in his hometown before flying to Bangkok, Thailand for the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

Give him time to rest

In a press briefing in Malacañang, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said that Duterte should be allowed to rest for a few days. He also said that the public should just take the Palace’s word that the President was in good condition.

“Let’s take it from the pronouncements of the Palace that the President is well. I have, myself, experienced getting an accident in motorcycle-riding and it could have been worse,” he said Friday noon. (With a report from Argyll B. Geducos)