Duterte not likely to attend Edsa commemoration rites

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. ACE MORANDANTE/ Presidential Photo

President Rodrigo Duterte is not expected to attend the Malacañang-led commemoration of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution on Friday.

This is the first observance of the historic event’s anniversary under the Duterte administration.

The official program for the Palace-led Edsa commemoration does not include Mr. Duterte. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea is expected to be the guest of honor at

the event.

Either Mr. Duterte or Medialdea was supposed to deliver the keynote speech at the event to be held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the other day.

But the program for the 31st Edsa anniversary released to the media on Tuesday evening did not list the President and only named Medialdea as the guest of honor.

Mr. Duterte is scheduled to attend an event in Davao City on Friday.

He will lead the launch of the renewed effort to implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in Davao on Friday, according to his peace adviser, Jesus Dureza.

The Palace toned down this year’s commemoration of the four-day Edsa People Power Revolution.

It comes three months after the burial of dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, which Mr. Duterte had allowed and defended amid outrage from martial law victims who decried the move as an attempt to distort history.