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Duterte eyeing visit to Vatican because of ‘pope joke,’ spokesman says


The spokesperson of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that the presumptive president is planning to visit the Vatican during his administration.

"Because of the traffic pope joke, he would like to visit the Vatican," Peter Laviña told GMA News Online in a text message.

Duterte drew flak when he cursed at Pope Francis during his proclamation speech in November 2015.

The tough-talking mayor was narrating in jest how he was stuck in traffic for hours because of the papal visit in January 2015.

Later, explained that the expletive was not directed to Pope Francis but to the government for the badly planned event.

Laviña, however, said that there are no definite plans yet on the Vatican trip.

He also revealed that Duterte's first trip abroad will be to one of the ASEAN countries.

"It would likely be in our fellow ASEAN nation following practice within the 10-member regional bloc," he said.

Visits to the United States, China, and Japan are also on the table. —NB, GMA News

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