Duterte to watch Pacquiao fight, meet Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to fly to Malaysia this weekend to watch the title fight of boxing icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao and meet with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque revealed Duterte’s July 15-16 trip on Monday night following the chief executive’s phone conversation with Mahathir.

Roque told GMA News Online that Duterte’s trip to Malaysia would be a private one and not an official or working visit.

Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, is hosting the bout between Pacquiao and World Boxing Association welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse of Argentina on July 15.

Tickets for the fight to be held at the 16,000-seat Axiata Arena won’t come cheap with premium seats costing $5,000 each.

After the fight, Duterte will have a meeting with Mahathir on issues of bilateral concern including Islamic extremism and piracy in the high seas.

During the phone call, Duterte congratulated Mahathir on his victory and vowed to closely work with him in addressing pressing regional issues.

“At the same time, Duterte invited Malaysia to revive the joint consultative meeting to build a platform for advancing relations and discuss pending agreements and other possible collaboration,” Malacañang said in a press release.

“The President then thanked Mahathir for taking care of Filipinos in Malaysia.”

The 92-year-old Mahathir made a stunning election upset last May when he defeated his one-time protégé, Najib Razak. Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister, stepped out of retirement to challenge Najib.

Duterte last visited Malaysia in November 2016 when he had a bilateral meeting with Razak. —KBK, GMA News