President Duterte is apparently willing to push through an interview by television host Kris Aquino after missing an earlier appointment due to migraine.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar insisted the President did not deliberately snub Aquino and even raised the possibility the interview would happen eventually.
“Anything is a possibility. Everything is a possibility,” Andanar said over government radio when asked if the Duterte-Aquino meeting would be rescheduled.
A bad migraine forced the President to skip a scheduled one-on-one interview with Aquino at the summit organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and Go Negosyo in Davao City Friday.
A few hours later, the President seemed to recover from migraine since he was able to attend two other events, including the launching of a new foundation created to honor the memory of his mother Soledad Duterte.
Reacting to Duterte’s absence, Aquino expressed dismay with the “epic snub” of the President but still went ahead with the program. She also expressed hope the interview with push through in the future, asking the President to give her a chance.
Andanar, however, brushed aside speculations that the President was deliberately avoiding Aquino, sister of his predecessor Benigno S. Aquino III.
He said Aquino’s planned interview with Duterte was “on the board at least a month before.” He said they knew the President was set to attend the event until he made the last-minute cancellation.
“There was no intention to snub Kris Aquino. Again, ulitin ko po: The alter ego of the President at the Department of Trade and Industry, Secretary Mon Lopez is there, he’s the one who spoke on behalf of the President,” Andanar said.
“The whole force of the government supporting the program, then you just read between the lines, that it is supported by the government. It just so happened that the President was not feeling well,” he added. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
