Duterte to skip ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in Jakarta
President Rodrigo Duterte will not join his fellow leaders in Southeast Asia in their scheduled meeting later this month in Indonesia, Malacanang said on Thursday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it will not only be Duterte who will not personally attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Leaders' Meeting to be held on April 24 in Jakarata.
"He will not personally attend. Several ASEAN heads of state cannot also attend," he said in a televised press briefing. He did not say who are the other ASEAN leaders who will also skip the meeting.
In a statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs, it said that Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. will represent Duterte in the meeting.
"The Philippines strongly supported the convening of the Meeting even without the full attendance of all ASEAN Leaders. This special Leaders’ meeting will address urgent matters in the region, including recovery efforts, the situation in Myanmar, ASEAN community building efforts, external relations, and regional and international issues," the DFA said.
With the military coup in Myanmar, also a member of ASEAN, Roque said the ASEAN summit can be a venue to discuss the matter and come up with an "common position" on the issue. Celerina Monte/DMS
