COURT BANQUET. Photos from the Japanese Government show President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, attending the court banquet after the enthronement ceremony of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan on October 22, 2019. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is among the world leaders invited to witness the ceremony. (Presidential photo)
MANILA -- Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte had the opportunity to meet with and talk to Japan’s new imperial couple and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a court banquet held in Tokyo on Tuesday night, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
Duterte represented her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, at the banquet for the celebration of Emperor Naruhito's accession to the throne at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
The “excruciating and searing” pain in the 74-year-old President’s lower back had prompted him to skip the ceremonial dinner party hosted by the Emperor for world leaders and dignitaries who witnessed the enthronement rites.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President’s daughter was a stunner at the court banquet.
The Palace official noted that the presidential daughter left at around 11 p.m. Tuesday or an hour after the event, as she “spent time to chat with other world leaders, assessing the event as an opportune time to network and mingle with them.”
“Mayor Sara was an eye catcher in her pink terno and appeared to be enjoying herself with attendees being arranged and served a sit-down Japanese-style dinner during the banquet,” Panelo said.
“She was able to meet and talk with Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,” he added.
Panelo, however, did not elaborate on the possible issues raised during the presidential daughter’s talk with the imperial couple and the Prime Minister.
Panelo said the Palace was thankful to Mayor Duterte for representing the Philippines well, in the absence of the President.
“The Office of the President wishes to relay its gratitude to Mayor Duterte for stepping up and properly and elegantly representing the country in the President's stead as the latter was constrained to leave Tokyo for Manila earlier that evening,” he said.
After witnessing the Emperor's enthronement ceremony, the President flew back to Manila on late Tuesday night due to the “unbearable” pain in his lower back triggered by his minor motorcycle accident on October 16.
Duterte will see his neurologist on Wednesday afternoon, in a bid to know the “medical condition of his body,“ Panelo said in a separate statement.
On behalf of the President, his daughter would once again attend the banquet hosted by Abe in honor of the invited heads of state and other government representatives on Wednesday night, Panelo said. (PNA)
