President Duterte reaffirmed the Philippines’ long and enduring ties with Brunei Darussalam during his one-day official visit to the country Friday.

Bolkiah Is PH's True Friend

Duterte, who returned to Davao City at 1:47 a.m. Saturday, attended the 50th Jubilee celebration of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s accession to the throne.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Duterte personally conveyed his warm greetings to the Sultan, describing him as the country’s true friend.

“The President reaffirmed the long and enduring ties between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam and renewed the special friendship between the two countries,” Abella said.

“The President described His Majesty the Sultan as a friend of the Philippines in the truest and most profound sense of the word,” he added.

The Palace said that Brunei Darussalam has been the second home of around 23,000 Filipinos.

According to Abella, Duterte recognized Bolkiah’s principled commitment to the pursuit of just and lasting peace and development in Mindanao, the well-being of Filipinos in Brunei Darussalam, and his unequalled efforts to bring the two countries closer to each other.

“The President looks forward to further broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation with Brunei Darussalam, as well as to advancing efforts toward a more peaceful, prosperous and progressive ASEAN,” Abella said.

The golden anniversary celebration of Bolkiah’s accession to the throne is Duterte’s first official overseas trip since June, 2017 after canceling all other trips to focus on the war in Marawi City.

The overnight trip to Brunei Darussalam also came almost a year after Duterte’s first visit at the country as part of his being the Chairman of the ASEAN.

Aside from Duterte, leaders of other Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) countries such as Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak were present.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos

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