Palace: Duterte cancels 'nation' press conference

MANILA, Philippines — A Malacañang official on Tuesday announced that the scheduled nation press conference of President Rodrigo Duterte will no longer push through.

"I would like to relay that the PRRD Press Conference today is no longer included in today's activities,” Communications Undersecretary Feducia Mia Reyes-Lucas told the reporters in a press message.

READ: Duterte wants to speak to nation, Roque says

The Palace official did not state the reason for the cancelation of the press briefing.

On Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the president is slated to address the nation on Tuesday. He said the president last week announced “that he wants to speak to the nation.”

Roque clarified that this is subject to change, depending on the president's schedule. 

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said he was asked to co-host the press conference of the president, which Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go said would be “showbiz-type.”

Roque said that Duterte will instead have a têtê-a-têtê with Panelo at 3:15 p.m. The state-run PTV 4, close-in writers and Palace are the only ones allowed to cover.

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