DFA chief leaves for Saudi Arabia

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario left Sunday for Saudi Arabia to personally convey the condolences of President Aquino on the passing last week of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Del Rosario’s trip to Saudi Arabia came two days after both the Department of Foreign Affairs and Malacañang issued separate statements extending the Philippine government’s condolences and sympathies to the Saudi government and people on the passing of King Abdullah.

The Saudi king died on Friday and has been succeeded by his half-brother, Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

It was not certain who Del Rosario will be meeting with to convey President Aquino’s condolences.

According to DFA spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Charles Jose, the new king received foreign dignitaries on Saturday night for condolences for an hour.

“After that, it was the [new] Crown Prince and Deputy Crown Prince and the rest of the royal family who received the public and foreign dignitaries,” Jose said in a text message.–Christine O. Avendaño