Duterte arrives in Laos

VIENTIANE, Laos- President Duterte flew in here Monday night aboard a chartered Philippine Airlines flight from Davao City to attend the 28th and 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summits.

The President and his 30-member delegation arrived at Wattay International Airport at about 7:20 p.m. (8:20 p.m. in the Philippines) and immediately proceeded to Feungfar Convention Hall to meet with the Filipino community.

Besides members of his security team, Mr. Dutere was accompanied by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.

Also with him were Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella and Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, his running mate in the May 9 elections.

The Chief Executive’s attendance at the three-day Asean summit was his first international conference as head of state, making him the most junior among the 10-member regional bloc.

Malacanang said the President was set to attend bilateral meetings with nine heads of state on the sidelines of the summit, including with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

In his departure speech at Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao, Mr. Duterte said he would urge Asean leaders to make the region drug-free “consistent with the Philippines’ cornerstone programs.”

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