Easy rider saddles up

After the dinner last night, on his way to Bahay Pagbabago he decided to ride that bike for a few minutes.

President Rodrigo Duterte did not have to say anything to prove that it was a mere muscle spasm that forced him to forego the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito in Japan on 22 October. He merely hopped on another mean bike.

The President rode an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) inside the Malacañang grounds after having dinner at Bahay ng Pagbabago late on Thursday.

Photos from Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go showed the Chief Executive on board the three-wheeled vehicle accompanied by the senator who was riding a separate motorcycle.

The President reportedly gave the ATV a spin for about five to 10 minutes that Palace officials described as a form of exercise for Mr. Duterte.

“After the dinner last night, on his way to Bahay Pagbabago, he decided to ride that bike for a few minutes as some form of an exercise. That’s how it was,” Salvador Panelo, chief presidential legal counsel and presidential spokesman, said.

Panelo shared that as far as he knows, the President was not barred from doing what he loves best.

“If you notice, that is a three-wheeled motorcycle, so there is no problem. It will not crash. He just tried it for about five minutes,” Panelo said.

Malacañang earlier said the President was diagnosed with muscle spasms that caused an unbearable pain in the pelvic and spinal area of his body.

Panelo added there was no need for the Palace to release a medical bulletin as the President has no serious illness as some may fear.

He told reporters during a briefing that issuing a report on the President’s health only comes into play when the President has a serious illness.

As a constitutional requirement, the Palace is obligated to release one so that the people will know the President’s condition.

He added if the President also has a serious medical condition, it is only right for his doctor to talk about it.

“If it’s only muscular spasm, there is no need. In fact, last night he looks good, if you will notice,” Panelo said, referring to the ATV ride.

The official added the President has been taking some pain relievers and now feels much better as the spasms have subsided.

Panelo said the President is in Davao City right now and will return to Manila for some events. He will then return on 1 November for the “Undas” tradition to visit his parents’ tombs before flying to Thailand for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

He said the 74-year old President was advised by his doctor to avoid standing too long and walking long distances so as not to aggravate his back problem considering his age.

“Actually, he was told to take it easy because he is no longer a spring chicken. Don’t spend a long duration standing and walking,” Panelo said.

“His activities will continue but he needed to minimize his physical activities. Maybe his events will have bigger spacing since he has a punishing schedule (at the ASEAN events). Otherwise, he is in good health. We don’t worry about that,” he added.

During the same press briefing, Panelo denied claims by some that the President abruptly left Japan because he was snubbed by the Japanese government during the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.

“In respect to the article, it’s absolutely false. There was no truth to what they are saying that he was snubbed and he was placed in an area far from the heads of state,” he said.

“In fact, in a photo taken by Robert Borje, the chief protocol, you will see there the President was with heads of state and royalty,” he stressed.

Actually, he was told to take it easy because he is no longer a spring chicken. Don’t spend a long duration standing and walking.

Panelo said, as far as he knows, President Duterte was among the few heads of state who was provided with a bulletproof vehicle and was even welcomed at the airport.

“The Japanese government has high respect for the President,” he said.

The Palace official said the President’s state of health was determined after he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging and medical evaluation on Wednesday.

As the public already knows, he said the Chief Executive suffered from a motorcycle accident several years ago, and from another minor mishap involving the same type of motor vehicle just last 17 October.

“The attending doctor said there was a strong likelihood that these incidents may have caused or possibly aggravated the current pain he is suffering from his lower back,” Panelo said.

He explained the President was advised by his doctor to rest, as well as to take medicines that will relieve him of the pain caused by the muscular spasms.

His doctor, however, ruled out any surgical procedure for the President. The Chief Executive is also feeling much better now.