PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte will divulge the results of his medical consultation after back pain forced him to cut short his trip to Japan this week, his spokesman said on Wednesday.

“His consultation with a doctor is aimed at determining the medical condition of his body,” presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement. It will also reveal whether his spinal injury from a past motorcycle accident had been aggravated by his recent fall, he added.

“The president shall inform our countrymen on the result of his medical consultation,” Mr. Panelo said.

Meanwhile, Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go said Mr. Duterte’s back pain was due to “muscle spasm,” citing his doctors.

The president went straight to the wake of the late Senate President Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. before heading to his checkup, Mr. Go, the president’s former aide, said at a briefing.

Mr. Duterte underwent magnetic resonance imaging or MRI and the doctors “did not see anything that should cause any worries,” Mr. Go said in Filipino.

Mr. Duterte came home from Japan last Tuesday night so he could see his neurologist yesterday.

The 1987 Constitution states that “in case of serious illness of the president, the public shall be informed of the state of his health.”

Mr. Duterte, 74, was the oldest person to be elected president of the country, and his health has been the subject of speculations.

The presidential palace earlier assured the public that there was nothing to worry about Mr. Duterte’s health.

The president missed the Japanese emperor’s banquet at the Imperial Palace and had requested Mayor Sara Duterte to represent him and attend on his behalf.

Mr. Duterte was able to attend the enthronement rites on Tuesday while carrying a cane to help him walk.

The president earlier told the Filipino community in Russia during his visit that he suffers from an autoimmune disease that could potentially have serious complications.

Malacañang earlier this month said the illness was not serious and there was nothing to worry about.

The president had complained of not being able to sleep during his flight from Russia.

Before his visit to Japan, there were no reports of Mr. Duterte receiving medical help after the accident since he appeared to be okay after the fall, according to a palace briefing last week.

There were different accounts of what happened during his accident. Mr. Panelo said Mr. Duterte had a minor fall from the motorcycle, while the Presidential Security Group said that there was a small mishap that happened while he took out the motorcycle out of the garage.

Right after Mr. Duterte flew back to Manila on Tuesday evening from Japan, the president was seen carrying a cane at the wake of Mr. Pimentel.

A Social Weather Stations poll in December found that 66% of Filipinos were worried about Mr. Duterte’s health. — Gillian M. Cortez

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