Zubiri: Imee Marcos misinformed as US APPF absence due to Thanksgiving

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Saturday said Senator Imee Marcos was “misinformed” on the absence of American lawmakers at the 31st Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum and explained that the APPF coincided with Thanksgiving Day in the United States (US).

“I think Senator Imee was misinformed. We invited the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States and also the senators to come. It’s unfortunate na ‘yung (that the) timing lang po is that it is Thanksgiving [Day],” Zubiri explained in a press conference.

He disclosed that the US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson even asked the Philippine Congress, which hosted the APPF, to move the dates of the forum but the invitations were already sent.

“Ambassador MaryKay Carlson even asked me officially if we can move the date because if we move the date out of the Thanksgiving weekend, maraming makakapunta (many US lawmakers will come),” he said.

“Ang problema lang po namin nung sinulatan niya po ako, napadala na namin ang invitation sa mga member countries at marami nang nag-confirm. At that time that we were sending that letter, almost 12 have confirmed already coming on these dates,” he added.

(The problem is when she wrote to us, we already sent the invitations to the member-countries of the APPF. At the time that we were sending the invitations, almost 12 countries had already confirmed they were arriving on these dates.)

Should the Philippines move the dates for the APPF upon the US’ request, Zubiri said other member-countries might not attend the forum.

Moreover, Zubiri disclosed that US Senators Mark Rubio and Rick Scott wrote the APPF informing him that they wanted to come but it coincided with Thanksgiving Day.

“I have the letters from Senator Rick Scott and Senator Rubio that they wanted to come na-timing lang talaga sa Thanksgiving. It doesn't have something to do with politics. They wanted to come because of course they consider themselves as allies of the Philippines. It's just the timing. So let's not put any political color [on that],” he said.

Senator Imee Marcos on Friday said that the 31st APPF was "sadly blighted” by the absence of the United States in the annual forum.

“Did we fail to invite the Americans in time? Was there some failure of coordination which ultimately led to their absence?” the head of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said.

“Certainly, the Americans understand the importance of their participation in any meaningful dialogue for peace and security in this vast region,” she added.

The Philippines is hosting the 31st APPF from Thursday, November 23 to Saturday, November 25, 2023 — the second time since 1994.

Attending the international forum are 18 countries - Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russian Federation, Thailand, and Vietnam. — DVM, GMA Integrated News