(Eagle News)– A Palace official said on Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte might sign the proclamation on the state of lawlessness which he declared following Davao City blast before leaving for the ASEAN Summit in Laos.
“Before the President flies off to Laos this afternoon, he would have signed a proclamation prepared by the Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea regarding the declaration of the state of lawless violence,” said Chistian Ablan, assistant secretary for policy and legislative affairs of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
According to Ablan, Medialdea will serve as “caretaker” of the government while Duterte is abroad.
Duterte will fly to Vientiane, Laos on Monday afternoon to attend the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders Summit.
He is expected to arrive in Laos Monday evening.
Duterte and the 30-member Philippine delegation will fly from Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao. He is also set to deliver his departure speech in the afternoon.
The President is expected to attend bilateral meetings with nine heads of state at the sidelines of the summit, according to Malacanang. Among the world leaders he would have meetings with are Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama.