Duterte won’t go to US for Trump-ASEAN summit

President Rodrigo Duterte said he would decline the invitation of American counterpart Donald Trump to visit the United States in March for the US-Association of Southeast Nations summit.

Duterte made the statement in an interview early this week by Russia's state-owned media outlet, RT.

“I just received an invitation to go to the United States together with the ASEAN leaders. I haven’t been to the States,” the President said.

Asked if he would travel to the US, Duterte said, “No.”

The President then brought up anew his sentiments against Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, whose administration had raised concerns about the Philippines’ deadly campaign against illegal drugs.

“He should have realized I was head of a sovereign state. He should have criticized me in the proper venue. He should have brought up the case to the United Nations, rather than castigate a president of another country in a press con,” Duterte said.

Earlier in the day, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President was not sure if the US would grant him visa or allow him to enter the country.

Panelo cited the provision in the 2020 US appropriations measure denying entry to those involved in the arrest of Senator Leila De Lima, a staunch Duterte critic, on drug-related charges.

“He said, one, he has to ponder over it. Why? Some US senators would be unhappy seeing him there, because he is supposed to be number one on the list,” Panelo said at a news conference.

“Number two, sabi niya, ‘I do not even know if US will issue me a visa. And if I’m issued a visa, I do not know if when I arrived in the States I would be allowed entry.’”

Panelo said the Palace would wait for the US government’s response to Duterte’s sentiments.

“Wala naman siyang in-impose na condition. He just expressed certain sentiments relative to some issues that may affect his entry,” he said.

“In other words, the ball has been thrown to them. Then they have to do something about it.”

Some US lawmakers have raised human rights issues against Duterte’s war on drugs with one American congressman suggesting that the Philippine leader should not be invited to the White House, the official residence and workplace of the US president.

Trump invited Duterte and nine other ASEAN leaders to visit Las Vegas for the US-ASEAN summit on March 14.

The invitations were first conveyed during the ASEAN-US meeting at the 35th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok last November, and was reiterated through a letter dated January 9. — RSJ, GMA News