Spokesperson says ‘growth’ found in Duterte’s digestive tract

What the public needs right now is full disclosure.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said today that a “growth” was found in the president’s digestive tract during a medical examination. Roque said tests were recommended so that the president’s doctors could understand what the “growth” meant.

Roque told the media that this was divulged by the president yesterday during a conference with members of the military and police.

CNN Philippines quoted Roque saying: “Endoscopy was recommended, from his own words, in the general command conference, because they wanted just to be sure that there was a growth. They wanted to know more about the growth.”

Roque said Duterte had a general exam, which was followed by tests that were more specific.

He told ABS-CBN News: “He had a general exam and after which, I supposed from what he said in the command conference, they wanted a more specific exam, zeroing on something.”

Asked if the growth was a tumor, Roque answered: “I don’t know but they looked at something through an upper endoscopy.”

An upper endoscopy is a test wherein a tube with a camera is inserted through the digestive tract. The camera provides a view of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.

Roque, who is thinking of resigning from his post after he was kept in the dark of the president’s visit to the hospital on Wednesday, said he will recommend to Duterte that they issue a medical bulletin if he will remain in his post next week.

“If I’m still here next week then I will tell him perhaps we would need to issue a medical bulletin whether or not it’s serious. [I’ll tell him] ‘perhaps we would need to bring in your physician because it’s the only way to stop all talk about your health,'” he said.

Duterte’s health has always been the subject of speculation. He has spoken of being in “perpetual pain” due to a spinal injury but other than that, the government has not given a full update about his health, citing confidentiality.

Section 12 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “in case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.”