Inday Sara represents Duterte in Japan emperor’s banquet

Presidential Daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte wears a pink terno for the Emperor’s Banquet held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday night, October 22, 2019. She is representing her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, who cut short his trip due to “unbearable pain in his spinal column.” Photo by Designer Selverio Anglacer

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio represented her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, during Japan Emperor Naruhito’s banquet in Tokyo on Tuesday night.

The President had to cut short his trip to Japan “due to unbearable pain in his spinal column.”

READ: BREAKING: Duterte to clip Japan trip ‘due to unbearable pain’ from motorbike accident

Sara was among the “lean” delegation of Duterte to witness the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.

The banquet, held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, marks the ascension to the throne of the new emperor.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said “the court banquet was held from 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. where about 180 countries sent their respective leaders or representatives to celebrate the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.”

“According to Mayor Duterte, she was able to leave the event at 11:00 p.m. as she spent time to chat with other world leaders, assessing the event as an opportune time to network and mingle with them,” Panelo added.

Photos shared to the media by designer Selverio Anglacer showed Sara in a pink terno as she attended the banquet.

Sara, Panelo said, “was an eye catcher in her pink terno and appeared to be enjoying herself with attendees being arranged and served a sit-down Japanese-style dinner during the banquet.”

“She was able to meet and talk with Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe,” she added.

“The Office of the President,” he said, “wishes to relay its gratitude to Mayor Duterte for stepping up and properly and elegantly representing the country in the President’s stead as the latter was constrained to leave Tokyo for Manila earlier that evening.”

Sara is also set to represent the President at the Prime Minister’s banquet hosted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “in honor of the invited heads of state and representatives of other governments.” /jpv