Senator Mirriam Defensor Santiago announced that she has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
In press conference, the 69-year-old senator said she has cancer in her left lung which makes it hard for her to breathe.
According to the Senator, it was better that the public knew about her true condition rather than coming up with assumptions with regards to her absences in the Senate and her position as a Justice in the International Court.
Santiago added, that she’s happy to know from her doctors that she can still be able to work while taking her medication.
“For the past two or more years, I have had difficulty. I’ve always been short of breath particularly when I deliver privilege speeches or even commencement speeches.” she said.
Santiago said while her cancer is now on stage 4, it is not spreading.
Despite her condition, Santiago still managed to make fun of her political foes.
“I don’t know what the reactions of my enemies are. Maybe they’ll be happy because on one hand I might die and then they could get rid of me but on the other hand, I might survive and I will get rid of them,” Santiago said.
Last month, Santiago resigned from her post as judge of the International Criminal Court due to her chronic fatigue syndrome
