Philippine President Duterte says he purposely skipped US-ASEAN meeting session

Duterte says he purposely skipped US-ASEAN meet
September 13, 2016
Written by Efren Montano


President Rodrigo Duterte has revealed that he purposely skipped the summit between Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the United States in Vientiane, Laos last week.

“I purposely did not attend the bilateral meeting between the ASEAN and the US. Talagang ini-skip ko iyan. The reason is not that I am anti-West... It is simply a matter of principle,” Duterte said in his speech Monday evening.



“I did attend, but I purposely did not attend the bilateral talks between ASEAN countries and the ambassador of, the President of the United States. Talagang ini-skip ko ‘yun. I attended all others.

“‘Yung kay (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, may one-on-one ako, and the ASEAN and also the Chinese, I was there. The reason is not I am anti-West. The reason is not I do not like the Americans. It's simply a matter of principle for me,” Duterte said.

Palace officials told local and foreign reporters that Duterte had missed the meeting because he was not feeling well. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said that the President had another migraine attack.

Duterte’s first foreign trip last week was fraught with controversy even before his departure after his expletive-filled rant when asked about the possibility of discussing criticism from human rights groups with US President Barack Obama. That led to the cancellation of a meeting between the two leaders.

Duterte and Obama spoke briefly before the gala dinner of the summit last Wednesday, before the Philippine president skipped the meeting on Thursday.

The two leaders however crossed paths later that day when Duterte veered off his prepared speech at the ASEAN-East Asia Summit to show attendees, including Obama, photos of Filipinos killed during the American occupation in Mindanao.

Duterte said that during that speech, he told Obama that he killed the rapists of a teacher in Davao City.

“Pinatay ko talaga... Pity is not one of my virtues,” he said.

Duterte once again showed pictures of slain Filipinos in Monday’s speech.

After Duterte’s address in Laos, Obama had strong words for the administration's war on crime and said the Philippine leader should do it “properly.”

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza previously said that Duterte had to skip the ASEAN-US and ASEAN-India summits in Vientiane because the chief executive ”was not feeling well.”

Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay represented Duterte at the ASEAN-US Summit last Thursday.

Duterte was also unable to attend the ASEAN-United Nations Summit last Wednesday. Yasay also attended the event for the president.