Duterte to skip ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on April 24 —Roque

President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend the Association of Southeast Asian Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 24, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Thursday.

“Hindi siya personal na mag-a-attend. Marami rin pong hindi makakarating na heads of state ng ASEAN (President Duterte is not attending personally. Several leaders are not coming as well), Roque said in a Palace briefing.

“But the Department of Foreign Affairs [representatives] surely will be there,” Roque added.

Pressed for the Philippines’ position on the military coup crisis in Myanmar, which unseated and sent to prison civilian leaders led by State Counsellor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, Roque said that the upcoming ASEAN Summit should pave the way for a common position.

“Kaya nga may summit para sa pag-uusap ng common position ng ASEAN” (Coming up with a unified position is what the summit is for), Roque added.

Back in March, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. called for the release of Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders, and the restoration of democratic government in Myanmar.

However, the Philippines has not yet officially condemned Myanmar's military coup that has since led to mass protests, matched with the junta's violent reaction that, at least, has left 500 people dead. —LBG, GMA News