DAVAO CITY— The Supreme Court in a six-page resolution on Wednesday said the recent public appearance of President Rodrigo Duterte months prove he is not suffering from serious illnesses.
The high court issued the resolution two months after it junked the petition of lawyer Dino de Leon in May, who said the Office of the President is duty-bound to make public the health of the President as mandated by the Constitution.
De Leon in his petition asked that the health records of Duterte should be made public.
But the Wednesday resolution of the high court states that based on the regular Cabinet meetings and television appearances of Duterte, he is not seriously ill.
“Apparently, petitioner’s allegation that the President is seriously ill is unsubstantiated and is based merely on petitioner’s surmises and conjectures regarding his perception of the declining health of the President,” it added.
Thirteen justices voted against the petition, while two dissented.
The notice of resolution also noted that the petitioner failed to “establish the existence of a clear legal right that was violated.” Moreover, his claims of illnesses being suffered by Duterte are “merely based” on what he saw on online news, which the court said are “hearsay.”
On his televised visit to Zamboanga to talk with the officials of the Western Mindanao Command about the recent killings of four soldiers by some Jolo, Sulu police personnel, reports again circulated that Duterte is ill. However, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque dismissed the claims saying the President was emotional about the death of the soldiers, but he is not sick.
During his incumbency as Davao City Mayor, Duterte used to tell the public that he is sick and might die, but Davaoños came to a point that they no longer entertain such claim. Newsline
