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Duterte back in PHL from APEC Summit


President Rodrigo Duterte returned to the Philippines Sunday evening after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation  (APEC) Summit in Papua New Guinea.

According to Claudine Chicote's report on Super Radyo dzBB, Duterte's private plane landed at the Old Airport in Davao City around 6:47 p.m.

He went straight to his residence using a Bell chopper.

Duterte did not give an arrival speech.

The president did not leave Papua New Guinea on Saturday as scheduled, instead choosing to stay to finish the events at the APEC Summit until Sunday, according to Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Bienvenido Tejano

Nevertheless, Duterte was a notable absentee from a gala dinner that saw leaders in red and yellow shiny shirts treated to traditional tribal Papua New Guinea entertainment.

A Philippine official said later that Duterte found such "formalities" a "slight waste of time."

The absence also came after the president took "power naps" during the ASEAN summit earlier in the week in Singapore.

It was speculated that the president was worried what he would be served to eat in Singapore as he turned down an invitation from Australia for an informal breakfast.

"What will they feed us there, kangaroo?" Duterte had asked. — with a report from Agence France-Presse/Dona Magsino/BM/DVM, GMA News

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