Pope Francis to shorten stay in Leyte due to inclement weather

 

At a press briefing in Manila, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said the Pope will be flown back to Manila at 1 p.m. Saturday—four hours earlier than the scheduled 5 p.m. departure from Leyte.

 

“Binawasan ang panahon sa iba’t ibang events doon para mas maaga siya makabalik. This is not because of a security threat. This is an adjustment to the weather,” Roxas said.

 

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Amang is expected to make landfall over Masbate province at 2 a.m. Sunday.

Earlier, Metro Manila police chief Director Carmelo Valmoria cited an advisory reaching his office indicating the Pope is to leave Tacloban for Manila at 1 p.m.

 

"May advice sa amin mapapaaga ang balik ng ating Santo Papa. Mga 1 p.m. ang departure sa Tacloban. Instead na hapon, maaga," Valmoria said in an interview on dzBB radio, referring to the weather conditions at Leyte.

 

"Dahil sa panahon... baka 'di maka-takeoff," he added.

 

He said the Pope's expected time of arrival in Metro Manila would now be 2 p.m.

 

Leyte is one of the areas placed under storm signals due to Tropical Storm Amang (Mekkhala).

 

The Pope earlier Saturday led a Mass at Tacloban Airport where he condoled with survivors of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). — Joel Locsin/VC/KG, GMA News