Duterte to visit Russia in October–DFA chief
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (File photo by BEN STANSALL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will visit Russia next month, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. told senators on Thursday.
Locsin said this as he, together with other officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), defended the agency’s proposed P22.65 billion budget for 2020 before the Senate finance sub-committee presided by Senator Richard Gordon.
“The President will go to Russia next month to make up for his first state visit that was aborted within half a day of arriving by the fall of Marawi to jihadis including foreign fighters,” the foreign affairs chief said in his introductory remarks.
It can be recalled that the President cut short his official visit to Russia back in May 2017 due to a terror attack in Marawi City.
Update: Duterte cuts short Russia trip, back in PH by 5pm Wednesday
“The US, Australia, Russia and China extended help in retaking that city though the main credit goes almost entirely to our Armed Forces who took it back in door-to-door fighting,” Locsin went on.
Duterte had once called Russian President Vladimir Putin his “favorite hero,” as he tried to cement better ties with Russia.
Duterte and Putin first met in Peru during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in November 2016.
