Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo: EPA/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to postpone his trip to Japan in June due to the situation in Marawi city of Mindanao island, the southern Philippines.
In a statement released on May 30, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano announced that President Duterte will not go to Japan from June 5-7 as planned to attend the 23rd Nikkei International Conference on the Future of Asia.
The statement noted that the Philippines and Japan agreed that President Duterte will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a more suitable time.
Duterte shortened his visit to Russia last week as clashes occurred between Philippine Government forces and the Maute insurgent group in Mindanao.
Violence in Marawi city erupted on May 23 as security forces raided the house of Isnilon Hapilon, a commander of the Abu Sayyaf group and leader of a branch of Islamic State in the Philippines.
The US regards Hapilon as one of the world's most dangerous terrorists and has offered a bounty of five million USD for his capture.
On May 30, the Philippine Government announced that it was about to re-gain control of the city, urging the militants to surrender.-VNA
