‘A bit of drama’ reason for delay of Aquino’s Bali trip

Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Palace announced that the President would leave for Bali at 8 a.m. Thursday.

Speaking Wednesday at a briefing in the Courtyard Marriot Hotel in the famed island resort, Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang admitted that the President had to attend to “a developing domestic situation” in Manila before flying to catch Thursday’s afternoon sessions of the 19th Asean summit and possible bilateral meetings with other Asia-Pacific leaders.

“There was a bit of drama at the [airport on Tuesday],” Carandang said. “Former President Arroyo attempted to leave the country despite the fact that there are pending cases against her and the justice department had barred her from leaving, causing a bit of a stir… So that was one of the domestic occurrences that we need to attend to.”

Carandang said that while Mr. Aquino would miss the opening plenary, “he is expected to attend the retreat [session] and all of the other sessions that are scheduled for him, including a bilateral with the United States.”

Leaders of the 10-member regional grouping began arriving Wednesday for the summit. The heads of state and government from China, Japan and South Korea, as well as Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia and the United States, among others, are scheduled to fly in Thursday.

Mr. Aquino will cohost the Asean-US Leaders’ Summit with US President Barack Obama Friday afternoon.