US State secretary cancels Manila trip due to ‘Santi’

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN — US Secretary of State John Kerry has canceled a scheduled trip to the Philippines due to the threat posed by tropical storm “Santi” (international name Nari).

Forecasters say the storm could strike the northern Philippines as a typhoon as early as Friday, bringing strong winds and heavy rains.

Kerry had planned to meet with Philippine officials in Manila on Friday and Saturday. It was to be the last stop in a Southeast Asia tour that includes Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia.

During much of Kerry’s trip he has been filling in for President Barack Obama, who canceled a planned Asia tour because of the government shutdown gripping Washington.

Santi heightened into a tropical storm overnight as it approached Luzon faster, with six provinces placed under public storm warning signal no. 1, the weather bureau said Thursday.