Duterte skips one-on-one interview with Kris Aquino

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday skipped his scheduled one-on-one interview with Kris Aquino at the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Summit organized by GoNegosyo in Davao City.

Duterte, who arrived from a two-day visit in Malaysia at 4 a.m. on Friday, was reportedly under the weather.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez made the announcement more than an hour after the President was expected to arrive.  The event was advertised at 4:30 p.m., but the program did not start until past 5 p.m.

"Talagang killer schedule eh..." said Lopez. "I was with him ever since the series of state visits and if you know really the schedule talagang one after the other, takbo na, convoy, meeting, takbo na naman, then the flight arriving late. I had the benefit of a three-hour sleep. Baka si Presidente, tuluy-tuloy pa iyong meeting niya pagbalik dito."

Aquino went ahead and spoke at the program about Duterte missing the event.

"Alam n’yo po, I was excited just like you. I thought this would be an opportunity. Pero minsan ang mga first date hindi natutuloy," she said, before quipping: "President Duterte pinaghandaan kita, nagdiyeta ako nang dalawang linggo. Twenty six na lang ho ang bewang ko ngayon. Sisiguraduhin ko po na maging 25 para sa next time na pagkikita natin."

Aquino said she got advice from her brother, former president Benigno Aquino III, about pushing through with attending the show despite Duterte's no-show.

Despite this, she expressed hope of interviewing Duterte in the future.

"Hindi ko rin po alam na kung dahil sa mga sitwasyon na nangyari ngayon linggo kaya inisnab ako. Pero President Duterte, please give me a chance. I hope one day mamahalin mo rin ako," she said. —JST, GMA News