PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has canceled his second trip to Japan in early June to address the unrest in Mindanao, where he declared martial law last week following the attacks by the Islamic State-follower Maute Group in Marawi that has killed more than 100 people.
Nikkei Inc., the organizers of the 23rd International Conference on the Future of Asia on June 5 and 6 in Tokyo, said Tuesday Duterte had already canceled his supposed speaking engagement.
“H.E. Mr. Rodrigo Duterte, President of Republic of the Philippines, has canceled his appearance at this year’s conference,” Nikkei said in an email to reporters.
Malacañang and Foreign Affairs officials repeatedly declined to confirm the report.
Duterte was invited to be one of the speakers at the Tokyo conference, where he had been scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte’s presence here was necessary but did not confirm or deny Duterte’s reported cancellation of his Tokyo trip.
“As far as we know he would rather stay here,” Abella said.
