Amid the increasing threats of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), senators will not be attending the 142nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland slated next month.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, in an interview over radio DWIZ Saturday, said he and his colleagues are considering not to attend the IPU Assembly and related meetings from April 16 to 20 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“’Yong iba kasi medyo ayaw na baka okay na rin ‘yon kasi kahit dito sa atin nag-iiwas na bumiyahe at saka nag-aalala tayo na baka kumalat,” he said.
Sotto, who chairs the Asia-Pacific group of the IPU of this year, said other events in line with the IPU Assembly have also been cancelled.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon confirmed this, saying he is also not attending the IPU Assembly this April due to the COVID-19.
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Joel Villanueva also said in separate messages that they will not attend the assembly due to the health risk. (Vanne Terrazola)