Medialdea will be ‘caretaker’ while Duterte attends Asean Summit

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (second from left) sits with some of President Duterte’s friends and members of Cabinet in this file photo. Also in photo are, from left, Peter Laviña, Christopher Go, Leoncio Evasco (standing) and Carlos Dominguez. INQUIRER FILE / NICO ALCONABA/ INQUIRER MINDANAO

Executive Secretary Salvador “Bingbong” Medialdea will be in charge of the country while President Rodrigo Duterte attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Laos this week, Malacañang said on Sunday.

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“Matutuloy ang paglipad namin sa Laos kasama ang ating Pangulong Duterte bukas,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview with state-run Radyo ng Bayan. (Our trip to Laos with push through tomorrow with President Duterte.)

“Ang magiging caretaker officer habang ang ating Pangulo ay nasa ibang bansa ay si Executive Secretary Bingbong Medialdea,” he said. (The caretaker while our President is abroad will be Executive Secretary Bingbong Medialdea.)

Duterte earlier canceled his state visit to Brunei after a blast in his hometown of Davao City killed 14 people and injured more than 60. A terrorist group allied with the Abu Sayyaf is said to be behind the attack.

Despite the bombing, Malacañang said Duterte would push through with the trip to Laos where he would accept the country’s Asean chairmanship for 2017. He is also set to meet with nine heads of state.

READ: Duterte cancels Brunei trip; Asean meet can’t wait

The President will then fly to Indonesia on Thursday for a working visit.

Andanar confirmed that the trip to Indonesia would push through.

Duterte leaves for Laos on Monday, Sept. 5./rga