Duterte not only leader who skipped ASEAN events, Palace says
President Rodrigo Duterte was not the only leader who skipped some events in the recently-concluded 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) Summit in Singapore, Malacanang said on Friday.
Even the host, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had to be represented in two instances by his official during the summit, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
"Singapore President Lee. who was the Chairman for this year’s gathering had to be represented in two of the meetings he was presiding because he was indisposed," he said.
He also noted that US President Donald Trump had to be represented by Vice President Mike Pence during the summit.
"Their absence in those meetings did not make them lazy or seriously ill to perform their duties as Presidents of the their respective countries," the spokesman stressed.
Panelo issued the statement following the criticisms by some lawmakers, including opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, after Duterte skipped at least four meetings during the second day of ASEAN Summit.
Duterte, who was represented by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., took "power naps" why he skipped those meetings, Panelo earlier said.
"Accusation that the President is lazy or seriously ill to perform his functions as Head of State and Government just because he had to take power naps in between a few events to catch on some sleep and energise himself and avoid the embarrassment of dozing off during one of the meetings ( as one of a head of state pitifully succumbed to due to the energy sapping daily activities ) is a product of a witless if not a malicious mind," Panelo said.
Duterte, in a speech in Papua New Guinea before the Filipino community, said he had to skip some of the meetings, particularly the informal breakfast meeting with the Australians because he had to fix his things after arriving in Singapore the night before and he was not eating breakfast.
"These Australians I cannot understand, the informal breakfast was 8:30 (am). First, I do not eat breakfast. Second, it was informal. What will I eat, kangaroo?" he said, adding that he learned that he was also being criticized by Trillanes.
Duterte said whenever he travels, he brings with him corned beef, canned sardines and dried fish because he does not usually eat other food.
During the second day of the ASEAN Summit, the President 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 assure our people that the President is more than able to fulfill his commitment to the nation," Panelo said. Celerina Monte/DMS
