Russia to give Duterte doctorate in diplomacy

MOSCOW — To cap his five-day official visit here, President Rodrigo Duterte will receive an honorary degree in foreign diplomacy from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations University. He will also deliver a lecture before the university’s faculty and students.

The President and his delegation of 16 Cabinet secretaries departed Monday night on his second visit to Russia and were to arrive in Moscow Tuesday night (Russia time).

The President was expected to meet Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the first day of his visit, and Igor Sechin, chief executive officer of the Global Public Oil and Gas Corp., on Wednesday.

The President flies to Sochi the next day for a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin where the two were to sign agreements on health, culture and basic research.

The two leaders met during President Duterte’s May 2017 official visit to Russia, which was cut short by news of the attack of an Islamic State-affiliated terrorist group on government troops in Marawi.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, a member of the delegation, expected Russian officials to offer the Philippines transport and attack helicopters, fighter aircraft, ships, drones and tanks, as well as Kilo-class submarines.

In Sochi, the President will meet with Jordanian King Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein.

He flies back on Friday to Moscow to address a business forum and attend a Philippine cultural gala performance.

The President will meet with the Filipino community the following day. —With a report from Jeannette I. Andrade and Inquirer Research