Veteran broadcaster Arnold Clavio took to social media to share an observation made by a nurse regarding a viral photo of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The image, which circulated online, showed Duterte lying down with an oxygen tube at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City before his transfer to the Netherlands following his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity.
Clavio reposted the Instagram post of a nurse identified as Nurse Benj, who noticed that the oxygen tube connected to Duterte was allegedly not properly attached to the oxygen tank.
“EHEM: Isang Nurse Benj ang nag-post dahil napansin niya na yung oxygen tank ni dating Pangulong Duterte ay HINDI NAKAKABIT sa kanyang TUBO,” Clavio wrote.
The nurse emphasized that proper medical protocols should be followed, especially for patient safety:
“PLEASE BE REMINDED: Always check contraptions for patient safety! Make sure the Oxygen TUBING is always connected to the OXYGEN OUTLET PORT of the oxygen humidifier to deliver effective O2 support and maximize resources. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.”
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Following his observations, Nurse Benj became the target of online bashing from Duterte’s supporters. Some accused him of using the issue to discredit the former president.
In response, the nurse clarified that he is not anti-Duterte and, in fact, recognizes some of the Duterte administration’s contributions to healthcare, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hey!!!! For everyone’s preference, and just making you clear, I am not against Duterte or anyone else,” the nurse wrote on Facebook.
He further stated that while serving as Union Secretary of St. Luke’s Global City, he personally engaged with the Duterte administration to advocate for nurses’ rights, particularly in securing hazard pay and allowances.
“I won’t discredit how the DUTERTE administration passed the Bayanihan Act 1 (Active Hazard Duty Pay), Bayanihan Act 2 (Special Risk Allowances), and RA 11712 (Health Emergency Allowance). He signed it into law. We recognized him for these,” he said.
However, he stood by his professional opinion that proper medical procedures should always be followed and that his post was meant as a reminder for patient safety rather than a political attack.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11 and flown to The Hague, Netherlands, where the ICC is based. Upon arrival on March 12, he was taken to the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen. His initial pre-trial hearing took place on March 14, marking the start of the legal proceedings against him over his administration’s controversial ‘Oplan Tokhang’ campaign.
While Duterte’s supporters were quick to defend him against criticisms, others found the oxygen tank issue alarming, questioning whether his medical needs were being properly handled.
Meanwhile, Clavio’s post continues to spark discussions online, with some netizens saying that every detail regarding Duterte’s arrest should be scrutinized, while others argue that the issue is being blown out of proportion.
