By Argyll Geducos
HONG KONG – Malacañang on Wednesday said that the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan’s senatorial slate for the elections next year would not be announced during President Duterte’s meeting with the Filipino community here Thursday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that Duterte’s meeting would solely be about Filipinos in Hong Kong.
“I don’t think so. Wala pong announcement. Talagang ito po ay para sa mga OFWs,” Roque said.
The Palace official also said that there would be no announcement of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s senatorial bid during the meeting.
Roque said that his possible Senate run is also up in the air. “Sabi ko naman sa inyo, tutok tayo dito sa ating trabaho. Alam niyo naman kung gaano kahirap ang ating trabaho dahil kasama ko kayo sa Malacañang,” Roque said.
Duterte is in Hong Kong for a working visit following his participation at the Boao Forum for Asia 2018 in Hainan, China early this week. He was joined for the first time in an overseas trip by daughter Sara.
According to the Philippine Embassy here, Duterte is meeting about 2,500 Filipinos. It also said that there are around 220,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, most of them working in the hotel and restaurant industry or in the household of residents.
On the eve of his meeting with the Filipino community here, Duterte met friends for dinner at the Harbourview Hong Kong. He was accompanied by common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña.
Duterte has visited Hong Kong to meet OFWs for the second time in 11 months. He was last here in May last year after his participation in the World Economic Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
