Duterte skips some meetings in ASEAN to take ''power naps''
President Rodrigo Duterte skipped on Wednesday several meetings during the second day of the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) Summit in Singapore because he had to take "power naps."
But Duterte made it a point to participate in the ASEAN-China Summit, which was attended also by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. instead represented Duterte in those events, which he failed to attend to.
During the second day of the ASEAN Summit, Duterte skipped the ASEAN-Australia Informal Breakfast Summit, the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit, the Working Lunch hosted by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and the Second Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Summit.
"We find it amusing that some quarters are making a big fuss of the President’s skipping a few meetings in today's ASEAN Related Summits," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
He said Duterte would not attend the gala dinner on Wednesday night as he would take a rest.
"In those instances where he did not attend...he took power naps to catch on sleep," Panelo said.
He said Duterte worked late on Tuesday night and had only less than three hours of sleep.
He said it was unfortunate that the first event on Wednesday was scheduled at 8:30am.
He said Duterte was able to attend the the ASEAN-China Summit where he delivered the ASEAN Common Statement as the new Country Coordinator for the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.
Duterte also witnessed the signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and ASEAN on Economic Cooperation and had a bilateral meeting with Lee regarding concerns that are mutually beneficial for the countries that they represent, Panelo said.
"In important gatherings of the ASEAN members with dialogue partners, such as where Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the group, the President attended and expressed the country’s sentiments and stand vis-a-vis the three aforesaid leaders' remarks," he said.
He also said Duterte would participate in the rest of the summits and a bilateral meeting with Japanese Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday.
"We assure the nation that his aforementioned absence has nothing to do with his physical health and well-being which have been the subject of speculation," he stressed.
"The President’s constantly punishing work schedule is proof that he is in top physical shape," he added. Celerina Monte/DMS
