‘Power napper’ Philippine President Duterte skips Apec dinner, photo call of shiny shirts
- On Wednesday, the Philippine leader missed four of the 11 meetings he was slated to attend and a gala dinner in Singapore
- Absence of the 73-year-old Duterte at diplomatic gatherings has sparked criticism and speculation of ill health
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte passed on a gala dinner at a regional summit in Papua New Guinea, days after skipping key meetings in another gathering of world leaders for a “power nap”.
Duterte, who has a well-known disdain for stiff diplomatic gatherings, was a no-show Saturday night, missing the “family photo” call with heads of state donning bright yellow and red Papua New Guinean shirts.
His office had initially announced that the mercurial leader was cutting short his trip to Port Moresby even before the main meetings began but on Sunday he did show up at the convention centre.
“This after I loudly and naggingly insisted he stay just one day. ONE DAY, I stressed,” Philippine foreign minister Teodoro Locsin tweeted on Sunday.
The absence of the 73-year-old Duterte at diplomatic gatherings has sparked criticism and speculation of ill health, which his spokesman denied, saying the president merely lacked sleep.
Duterte has said previously that he suffers from daily migraines and ailments including Buerger’s disease, an illness that affects the veins and the arteries of the limbs, and is usually due to smoking.