Trump invites Duterte again to visit US – this time for March summit

President Donald Trump speaks with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte at an ASEAN Summit dinner at the SMX Convention Center, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Manila, Philippines. (Photo by ANDREW HARNIK / AP)

MANILA, Philippines – US President Donald Trump has again invited President Rodrigo Duterte to visit his country — this time to attend a summit between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

According to a statement from the Presidential News Desk, Trump also invited nine other Asean leaders.

The statement added that the invitation was first conveyed during the Asean-US meeting at the 2019 Asean Summit in November before an invitation letter dated Jan. 9, 2020, was sent to the Duterte.

In a text message to reporters on Sunday, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said there was still no official information on whether Duterte had accepted the invitation to the summit, which would be held on March 14, 2020, in Las Vegas.

The invitation came despite a recent US legislation banning entry of all Philippine officials supposedly behind the arrest and detention of Sen. Leila de Lima on drug charges.

Trump first invited Duterte to visit Washington in 2017, but Duterte has not made an official US visit.

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