Duterte changes mind, stays in PNG for APEC
PORT MORESBY — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday changed his mind about cutting his trip short, opting to stay behind in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to attend remaining Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.
Philippine Ambassador to Papua Guinea Bienvenido Tejano confirmed this news to reporters on yesterday morning.
Malacañang previously said Duterte would cut short his visit in the APEC summit host country. However, it has yet to explain why the president changed his mind and decided to attend remaining events.
At a press briefing, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said he does not know why Duterte chose to stay.
“Frankly we don't know (why he changed his mind) but the more important thing is he is here and he is [attending] all these meetings,” Lopez said.
Duterte attended the informal dialogue with the International Monetary Fund and also joined the traditional family photo with APEC leaders.
DUTERTE SKIPS APEC SUMMIT DINNER
The president, however, passed on a gala dinner at a regional summit, days after skipping key meetings in another gathering of world leaders for a "power nap".
Duterte, who has a well-known disdain for stiff diplomatic gatherings, was a no-show Saturday night, sending his trade minister instead to pose with heads of state donning bright yellow and red Papua New Guinean shirts.
His office had initially announced that he was cutting short his trip to Port Moresby even before the main meetings began but on Sunday he did show up at the convention center.
"This after I loudly and naggingly insisted he stay just one day. ONE DAY, I stressed," Foreign minister Teodoro Locsin said on twitter.
The absence of the 73-year-old Duterte at diplomatic gatherings has sparked criticism and speculation of ill health, which his spokesman denied, saying the president merely lacked sleep.
Duterte has said previously that he suffers from daily migraines and ailments including Buerger's disease, an illness that affects the veins and the arteries of the limbs, and is usually due to smoking.
On Wednesday, Duterte missed four of the 11 meetings he was slated to attend and a gala dinner in Singapore, which hosted a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders.
Observers have compared him unfavorably with Malaysia's 93-yearold Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has consistently attended summit meetings saying it was his "duty" to do so.
Commenting on his absence, Duterte said on Thursday: "What's wrong with my nap?"
Asked about the Papua New Guinea dinner, a Philippine official said Duterte "feels constrained by formalities and finds them unproductive and a slight waste of time".
After hosting a regional meeting in the Philippines last year, an exhausted Duterte joked about cancelling another Manila summit saying, "It's true. It's all the same. Nothing changes".
In Port Moresby, Duterte met with Filipinos on Friday night where he sought to explain his absence from summit meetings.
He cited an invitation from Australia to have an "informal breakfast" in Singapore.
"I told my soldiers why would I attend when first of all, I do not eat breakfast. Second, it was informal," Duterte said.
"What will they feed us there, kangaroo?"