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FVR: Duterte a big disappointment in Peru
The rapprochement between President Duterte and his mentor appears to have been short-lived.
Former president Fidel Ramos came out swinging anew yesterday against Duterte, describing the latter as a big disappointment at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru and criticizing the sneaky burial of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
In a press conference at his office in Makati, Ramos hit the absence of Duterte at the APEC gala dinner and the shoot for the leaders’ traditional family photo.
Duterte had said that jet lag prevented him from attending the two key events in the regional summit.
Ramos said that while Duterte and his Cabinet may have thought that the two events are negligible, it could have disappointed the host country.
“Peru President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski must be very disappointed,” Ramos said.
He said the gala night could have been an opportunity for Duterte to exchange ideas with world leaders and sickness is an unacceptable alibi to skip such an important gathering.
Ramos also stressed that the Philippines must not abandon its trusted allies while seeking new friends, taking note of the attacks of Duterte against Western nations.
He also lamented that although he was appointed as special envoy to China, some people close to Duterte have been treating him like trash.
“I was appointed without informing me in advance, even just a telephone call. Ano ako, basura (What am I, garbage?)” Ramos asked.
Too sleepy
Duterte, who previously admitted that he hates long travels, said he skipped the APEC gala dinner and the shoot of the APEC leaders’ family photo because he was too sleepy.
“You know why (I did not make it)? Jet lag… exactly at that time that’s my sleeping time back home in the Philippines,” the President told reporters in a press conference in Lima.
The President explained that he usually sleeps at 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. so he had difficulty adjusting to the APEC summit’s schedule of activities.
Duterte had asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. to represent him in the events that he skipped.
There have been speculations that Duterte skipped some APEC events because he does not want to see outgoing United States President Barack Obama, who has criticized his war on illegal drugs.
Last September, Duterte also skipped a dialogue in Laos between ASEAN leaders and Obama.
Duterte said he did not have an opportunity to meet with Obama at the APEC summit.
“No, I was not looking around. Right after I entered the room I was reading the proposed basic principles which we approved this afternoon. I was reading it. I did not have a copy of it,” he said. – With Alexis Romero
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