Medialdea pinch-hits for Duterte in rites for Bonifacio’s 155th birthday

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is welcomed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea upon his arrival at the House of Representatives Complex in Constitution Hills, Quezon City to deliver his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23, 2018. Also in the photo is Senate President Vicente Sotto III. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO (FILE)

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Friday led the wreath-laying ceremony for the 155th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio in Caloocan City.

Medialdea attended on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte, who skipped attending the rite to fly to Mindanao to look into an incident of insurgency there.

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“He has to fly to Mindanao to attend to the problem of insurgency in Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier told reporters in a text message without elaborating.

Medialdea was joined by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chairman Rene Escalante, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Carlito Galvez, Jr. in the ceremony.

READ: Duterte to skip wreath-laying rite for Bonifacio

This isn’t the first time Duterte passed up on attending Bonifacio Day rites.

In 2016, Duterte missed Bonifacio Day ceremonies and visited soldiers in Lanao del Sur who were fighting the Maute group at that time. Last year, Duterte also missed Bonifacio Day rites because he visited a “conflict” area in Mindanao. /kga