Duterte to slap ex-Senator Tatad over kidney transplant claim

February 15, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to slap the face of  former Senator Francisco Tatad if he sees him.

This was after Tatad, in his newspaper column, citing anonymous sources, claimed that Duterte underwent a successful kidney transplant on January 29 in a hospital in San Juan City.

"Tatad, you know, there's a border between press freedom and disrespecting a person. If you see me, avoid me...I will slap you. Believe me, I will slap you in front of other people," Duterte said in a speech in Bulacan Thursday night.

He accused Tatad of suffering from diabetes and indicated he was not capable of having sex.

In a press briefing on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said other media apparently did not report Tatad's claim because it was a "false news."

He noted that when he checked the President's schedule, he watched the "Bato" movie, the story of senatorial candidate and former corrections and police chief Ronald dela Rosa on the supposed day that he underwent a transplant.

Last year, speculations came out Duterte was in serious health condition after he underwent colonoscopy and endoscopy twice. His face also darkened.

Duterte denied having any serious illness, such as cancer.

As to the darkening of his face, he blamed it on the cream that he used.

Panelo has said there was no need for Duterte to abide by the constitutional disclosure of the President's health condition because there was nothing serious. Celerina Monte/DMS