MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte may be persuaded to visit the United States for the US – Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit, Malacañang said Tuesday.
“I haven’t talked to him, but hindi ko alam kung ano…kasi binanggit na niya yung personal invitation di ba, but given na this is an Asean meeting of leaders baka ma-persuade ang Presidente na umattend,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said when asked on the President’s attendance.
US President Donald Trump invited Duterte and 11 other leaders of Asean member nations for a summit to be held in Las Vegas in March.
This was the second time that Trump invited Duterte to visit the US since April 2017.
Panelo earlier said the President would decline the invitation after the US approved a provision barring officials involved in Senator Leila de Lima’s detention.
Duterte, in response, banned the US senators who wrote the provision from entering the Philippines.