Binay attends burial of Saudi crown prince

MANILA, Philippines -  Vice President Jejomar Binay left for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia yesterday to represent President Aquino in the funeral of Crown Prince Bin Abdel Aziz al Saud.

Binay boarded an Etihad Airlines flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 at around 1 a.m., accompanied by his political and international affairs adviser Kit Tatad. 

Binay said Saud is a true friend of the Philippines.

“The Crown Prince was a man of vision and many achievements. But for us, he was a true friend of the Philippines and the Filipinos,” he said.

“We would like to assure His Majesty, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Royal Family and the People of Saudi Arabia that the government and the people of the Philippines stand with them at this hour of their great loss,” he added.     

The Crown Prince, who was the kingdom’s deputy prime minister, passed away of an unspecified illness on Oct. 22 at a hospital in New York. He was 85 years old. – With Jose Rodel Clapano