Ex-President Duterte to skip Marcos' 2nd SONA —Bong Go

Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, according to his close ally, Senator Bong Go.

“Di yata. Galing po siya sa China, medyo pagod. Nasa Davao po siya... Kakarating lang niya nu'ng Sabado,,” Go said in an ambush interview before the opening of the Second Regular Session of the 19th Congress in the Senate.

(I don't think he'll attend. He just came from China and he's tired. He's currently in Davao... he arrived last Saturday.)

But in a separate interview, Go said he is sure that the former president will be monitoring Marcos’ SONA.

“I’m sure, as former president, nagmo-monitor naman po si dating pangulo-- not only sa SONA but sa kalagayan ng ating bayan,” he said.

[I’m sure that as a former president, he will monitor ... not only (the) SONA but the current state of our country.]

The senator said he has been talking with Duterte from “time to time” but they have not discussed anything about the latter’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Go said Duterte is planning to brief Marcos about the said meeting with China’s top leader.

“I’m sure alam ni former president ‘yung obligation niya kung meron siyang dapat na i-reveal,” the senator said.

“Sa pagkaalam ko po meron siyang planong sabihin [kay Marcos] ang mga napag-usapan,” Go added.

[I’m sure the former president knows his obligation and if he has something to reveal. From what I know, he (Duterte) is planning to reveal to Marcos what was discussed.]

Go served as special assistant to Duterte before he was elected senator in the 2019 election.

Duterte, who has skipped Marcos' first SONA last year, was in Beijing last week where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly to continue to promote cooperation between the two countries.

Marcos earlier said he is aware of Duterte's trip to China. He also said he welcomes any new line of communication with the Asian power amid issues in the South China Sea. —KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News