Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go shrugged off reports that President Rodrigo Duterte has fallen into a coma but rather he is in a “kama” (bed), while warning rumor-mongers that they may get what they wish from the President.

Mr. Duterte is simply “exasperated” in the battle against corruption in government and needed to take a rest, Go said.

Knowing the President all too well, Go said on the sidelines ofthe 14th Founding Anniversary of the Municipality of Datu Abdullah Sangki and 4th Kagalawan Festival that Mr. Duterte is physically and mentally fit to finish his term, contrary to an online post by Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison saying that Duterte is in a coma Sunday.

“Knowing the President for the past 20 years, he is not exhausted because his body is tired; he is physically and mentally fit to finish his term until 2022,” said Go in the festival at the Municipal Covered Court National Highway in Maguindanao.

“He is simply exasperated on corruption allegations in government, especially in the military.”

The President’s right-hand man noted that Duterte has a high regard for the military, saying that the President is extending any help he can give to the military.

“He is concerned in the corruption in government, especially in the military. He gives the military what they need, especially in medical care, but sadly, missing medicines for the military really exasperates the President,” said Go.

“I am saddened and annoyed, and at the same time I pity the President when we talk about these things,” he added.

Go narrated that it will be impossible for Duterte to fall into a coma, since he was speaking with the President until the wee hours of the morning on Sunday.

“We talked from 1 to 2 in the morning, he is very, very okay and he is in tip-top condition,” said Go. “I haven’t noticed anything medically wrong with him.”

“We were even laughing and joking around,” he added.

“It’s really saddening that rumors like this against the President easily spread. Maybe Sison was dreaming, and while he was dreaming, the first letter of his name changed from letter J to C, and the one he sees in a coma is himself,” he added.

Asked about his reaction on Magdalo partylist Representative Gary Alejano’s statements that Duterte’s medical records should be fully disclosed, Go said that they can give it anytime.

“Why not? I’ve already said that the President is in tip top condition,” said Go, adding in jest that Duterte may be in fact healthier than Congressman Alejano.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque has an advice to critics of President Rodrigo Duterte: Stop wishing the President ill.

The President’s aide issued the warning yesterday in a Palace press briefing to belie the accusations of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison that Duterte is in coma since Sunday.

Roque stressed that while critics are wishing the President ill, Duterte had come out more resilient and healthy than ever.

“I will tell those critics of the President: Stop wishing him ill as far as his health is concerned,” said Roque in the weekly Palace briefing. “Every time you wish him ill, he becomes stronger, he’s as strong as a horse.”

The spokesman also lambasted Sison anew, saying that the President will stay — not unlike himself and the Leftists’ movement.

“As usual, Joma Sison does not know what he talks about. How would he know about the state of health of the President when he is far away in The Hague, Netherlands?” said Roque.

“That’s always wishful thinking on his part. But the President is here to stay. I don’t know if he can say the same thing about himself and about his movement – the longest running insurgency in the world.”

Roque also stressed that Sison was in no position to say anything about the President’s health because “he is not a doctor.”

“Joma Sison is a spent revolutionary, not a doctor. Let’s not listen to him as far as medical condition is concerned,” he said.

The Palace statements came after a Facebook post of Sison surfaced Sunday night showing a photo of the President which showed “darkness on his face which became aggravated from its appearance the other day.”

The post also added that the President’s “walk and handshake had become more unstable.”

The photo was supposedly taken during the Lex Talionis event which was closed to the media.

“The latest report (still to be verified or negated) is that Duterte has gone into coma since the afternoon or evening of today, Sunday, 19 August. The report is still being verified by the press from the Palace,” Sison said.

“People are awaiting the personal appearance of Duterte and medical bulletin from his office.”

The Presidential spokesman fiercely stressed that the President is fine.

“He’s healthy. There was a rumor that he fell ill during his Lex Talionis affair. I talked to former Secretary Vit Aguirre who was in the affair. He was fine, he stayed till 12. He was in very high spirits, he enjoyed the company of his brods in Lex Talionis,” narrated Roque.

“I saw him (Duterte) last Friday, he invited me to go out. I begged off because I thought I could come home early, only to find out that I would leave Davao at three in the morning because of the mayhem in NAIA,” he added.

Badgered by Malacañang reporters on the President’s health and to release Duterte’s medical documents to the public to end speculations of the President’s true condition, Roque told the curious media members they just have to wait for the President to surface.

“They are spreading rumors that the President is in a coma, but tomorrow, he will attend the League of Cities conference, what documents do you want?” said Roque. “Last time, there were also reports that the President collapsed, but it wasn’t true.”

“So every time he appears in public, it is debunking reports that he is on coma. So why do you need the document to show that he is in perfectly good health when people have said that he is in coma and yet he will be around? So tomorrow, he will be there and that’s proof that he is not in coma,” explained Roque.

Pressed for further explanation on the President’s “shaking” hands, Roque said that it was because of Duterte’s “fury” on corruption.

“If indeed he is shaking, he is shaking because of anger, especially on the issue of corruption,” said Roque. “If I were to tell you, on the day that he wanted information released on V. Luna, it was a Friday and he was calling me up, he called me up, “tara” which was unusual and he was really emphatic about releasing the statement and having a really strong statement to announce the termination and the fact that there should be court martial proceedings.”