President Rodrigo Duterte skipping some events in the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Singapore to take a power nap, if indeed true, is a “very flimsy excuse,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Thursday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that Duterte needed to recharge during his absence in six events during the second day of the Asean Summit on Wednesday.
READ: Duterte ‘took power naps’ during absence in Asean events — Palace
“Let’s hear from the President himself kung talagang nag-power nap siya kasi sa akin, that’s a very flimsy excuse na nag-power nap ka para i-skip mo ‘yung isang event,” Lacson said in a regular forum in the Senate.
(Let’s hear from the President himself if he did take power nap because for me, that’s a very flimsy excuse that you will have power nap to skip an event.)
He doubts if the reason for Duterte’s absence was official or another joke.
“I don’t think they are serious. Pero ‘wag nating seryosohin ‘yung power nap. Baka wala na lang masabi ‘yung nagsalita (But let us not take seriously the reason about the power nap. Maybe the one who said it has no other excuse to give),” he said.
But Duterte later owned up to the excuse, and in return asked what was wrong with his catching up on sleep.
READ: Duterte on absence from Asean events: What’s wrong with my nap?
Is Duterte ‘avoiding someone?’
Lacson said he does not see the wisdom behind the excuse.
“I don’t see the wisdom of not attending an event attended by other heads of State tapos nagpa-power nap lang pala… 10 minutes lang ‘yung power nap. Parang catnap lang ‘yun,” he said.
(I don’t see the wisdom of not attending an event attended by other headso State while he is just taking a power nap… Power nap should have been just for 10 minutes. It’s like just a catnap.)
He said one of the reasons why Duterte skipped the Asean events could be some issues between the Philippines and other leaders.
“Pinag-aaralan ko from my own point of view ‘yung mga events na hindi niya pinuntahan. ‘Yung isa ‘yun ‘yung Australia, ‘yung isa ‘yung with Canada. Ito sarili ko lang… ito baka sinadyang hindi puntahan kasi nga baka may iniiwasan,” he said.
(I am studying the events that he skipped in my own point of view. One is with Australia, the other is with Canada. This is my own opinion… but maybe he intended on not going to avoid someone.)
In explaining his hunch, Lacson said the issue regarding the garbage shipped by Canada to the Philippines might have been considered by the President.
Lacson did not clarify which issue he was referring regarding Australia, although Duterte’s critic Sister Patricia Fox was recently deported to her home country for going beyond the limitations of her missionary visa by participating in political rallies. /je
READ: BI orders deportation of Sister Fox