Malacañang on Friday brushed off reports that President Rodrigo Duterte is not welcome in the United States (US), saying that the President has earlier said that he has no plans to visit the US in the first place.
“Wala pong plano si Pangulong Duterte na pumuntang Amerika. As a matter of fact, eh abala po si Presidente sa Pilipinas para harapin itong napakaraming issues, problema lalo na itong problema natin sa Maute/ISIS leaning group,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview.
The Palace official said Duterte did not give a specific reason why he does not plan to visit America despite an invitation from President Donald Trump.
“Wala namang sinabi si Pangulong Duterte sa amin kung anong dahilan kung bakit wala siyang planong pumunta ng Amerika [sa] palagay ko ito ay dahil na rin sa napakadaming trabaho ang dapat gawin dito sa bansa natin sapagka’t alam mo naman na talagang inikot ni Presidente ang buong ASEAN region. Pumunta ng Peru, pumunta ng Middle East, China at Japan,” Andanar said.
The Cabinet official’s statements were made following reports that a US lawmaker has said that Duterte can expect protests from human rights advocates to welcome him if he accepts an invitation from the White House to visit the US.
Massachusetts representative James McGovern said Duterte should never be invited to the White House because of his “human rights record”. He added he will personally lead the protest if Duterte visits the US.
(Report via PNA)
