Arroyo confirms meeting with ex-president Duterte

INFORMAL MEETING Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go posts a selfie of the meeting of the two former presidents on his Facebook page. —PHOTO FROM THE FACEBOOK OF SEN. BONG GO

Former President and now Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday confirmed meeting with former President Rodrigo Duterte and tried to convince him to stay active in Philippine politics even if his six-year term had already ended.

Arroyo was confirming a statement earlier issued by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, former close aide of Duterte, who laid down the details of the two former presidents’ “informal” meeting recently.

Go was also present during the meeting along with former Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

“I think Sen. Bong Go already disclosed what happened,” Arroyo said in a statement, when asked about the said meeting she had with Duterte, Sotto and Go.

According to Go, the meeting was simple and a joyful reunion of “leaders who served the country.” They also looked back at the time they were all together in government service.

“In the said meeting, former President Arroyo was convincing former President Duterte to be active again in politics,” Go said in Filipino.

“Like I said, they may have come from different places, they may have served in different positions in the government, they only have one goal—to serve the people,” he went on.

Arroyo also recently met with former Vice President Leni Robredo in a “social dinner” along with their mutual friends.

The Pampanga representative said that her dinner with Robredo was a night of chats and discussions about Bicol politics. INQ

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