Malacañang on Thursday squelched reports that President Duterte was rushed to the hospital.
Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. said in a briefing in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, “there is no truth to these rumors.”
“The President is fine, although he went to have a regular checkup the night before his State of the Nation Address [last Monday]. He has not been to any medical facility since,” Roque said.
After an hour and a half of routine examination on Sunday, the President was declared to be in good health.
Roque also warned those who are spreading this “fake news” that they can be held criminally liable for their actions.
“Please, it is, in fact, a crime…to spread this kind of news,” he said.
The President admitted last month that he threw up while on a flight from South Korea due to migraine.
Aside from migraines, the President also admitted to suffering from back problems, Barrett’s esophagus, which is a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Buerger’s disease due to heavy smoking in his younger years.
The Palace has since maintained that the President is in good health condition.