Duterte’s trip to Guimaras canceled due to bad weather

Relatives of those who died in three boat accidents at the Iloilo Strait wait for the arrival of President Duterte at the Guimaras provincial gym (Photo by Nestor P. Burgos Jr. /INQUIRER VISAYAS)

JORDAN, Guimaras, Philippines — Bad weather forced President Rodrigo Duterte to cancel his trip on Wednesday, Aug. 7, to Guimaras to meet with families of fatalities in three boat accidents that happened on Saturday, Aug. 3, in the Iloilo Strait.

“He tried to get here twice [on board a helicopter] but you can see how bad the weather is,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said at the Guimaras Capitol Gymnasium here in Jordan, where the caskets of nine out of 10 fatalities from this province were brought and the families were waiting for his arrival.

He was supposed to meet with families of nine fatalities as well as survivors and Guimaras officials at the gym.

So it was Tugade who handed out cash and other forms of assistance to the relatives of the fatalities.

The relatives had been waiting at the gym for the President since early afternoon. He scheduled to arrive at 4:30 p.m.

The other fatality was brought directly to her relatives in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

But the President was able to meet with families of 13 fatalities at the Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes & Crematory in Jaro District, Iloilo City.

/atm