Duterte under the weather, skips two key meetings

Vientiane, Laos – President Duterte, apparently under the weather, was forced to skip two important meetings with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit dialogue partners during the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits being held here this week. President Duterte first failed to attend the ASEAN-India Summit. Instead, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. was designated to lead the Philippine delegation to the meeting that was convened in 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The President also did not show up at the ASEAN-United States Summit. Again, it was Secretary Yasay who was tasked to represent Duterte as the head of the Philippine delegation. The President was also unable to take part in the second joint photo session of ASEAN leaders and dialogue partners which was scheduled after the ASEAN-India meeting. Yasay stood as Duterte’s alternate in the photo session. Sources told the Manila Bulletin that President Duterte [...]