Trump 'really wants' Duterte in ASEAN-US Summit —Locsin

United States President Donald Trump "really wants" Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte  to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-US Summit in Las Vegas on March 14, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

On Tuesday, Locsin posted on Twitter that the US president, who is currently a subject of an impeachment trial, actually invited Duterte many times.

“Before there could be an invitation, there had to be an ASEAN consensus (unanimous vote) to hold an ASEAN-US Summit which happened in Nha Trang three days ago and conveyed to the White House,” he said.

“Sadly for him Trump really wants Duterte to be there. He's invited him again and again.,” he added.

Before there could be an invitation there had to be an ASEAN consensus (unanimous vote) to hold an ASEAN-US Summit wch happened in Nha Trang 3 days ago and conveyed to the White House. Sadly for him Trump really wants Duterte to be there. He's invited him again and again. https://t.co/YPp7nHPito

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 21, 2020

Duterte and nine other ASEAN leaders have been invited by Trump. The invitations were first conveyed during the ASEAN-US meeting at the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in November last year, and was reiterated through a letter dated January 9, 2020.

On Tuesday, Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Philippine president may be persuaded to visit the US.

In 2017, Duterte said he has no plans of going to the US during or after his term, amid a US lawmaker's statement that he should be barred from entering the White House due to his alleged human rights abuses. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News