During the birthday celebration of Sen. Manny Pacquiao in General Santos City on Saturday, Duterte became defensive about his health while he was talking about how he hates long travels.
“I don’t like going places. I’m contented staying inside my house. After that, go to After Dark bar, but I can’t drink,” Duterte said, referring to his favorite hangout in Davao City.
“After that, there will be intrigues. I say I am sick and it will become a headline: ‘Duterte will die.’ Gago. Fools, I just made up that story and you believed it,” he remarked.
The 71-year-old Duterte, who has had a love-hate relationship with journalists, said “buwang” or crazy reporters write everything he says.
“I toy with these crazies because they pick up whatever I say. That’s true,” he said.
Last week, Duterte admitted suffering from daily migraine and spinal pain. He said his doctor had advised him to undergo an operation but his partner, Honeylet Avanceña warned him that many surgeries on the spine have gone awry.
Duterte on Monday revealed that he used to take fentanyl, often prescribed for cancer pain and other chronic ailments, because of a spinal injury from previous motorcycle accidents.
Fentanyl is a highly potent and addictive painkiller, which is estimated to be up to 100 times stronger than morphine.
Fentanyl became controversial after pop legend Prince died of an accidental overdose of the drug in April.
Duterte however said his doctor made him stop using it on learning he was “abusing the drug” by using more than the prescribed patches.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella has said that there is nothing serious about Duterte’s health issues.
Duterte has also belied rumors that he has cancer but has admitted having Buerger’s disease, a cardiovascular illness characterized by inflammation of blood vessels usually due to smoking.
Duterte cited ill health as the reason for skipping events during summits abroad. In Cambodia last week, he said he might not even finish his six-year term.
