Biden invites Marcos to White House
MANILA, Philippines —US President Joe Biden has extended an invitation for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to meet in Washington, the Philippines' envoy to the US said.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez told One News' "The Chiefs" on Friday that US second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, who led the US presidential delegation to Marcos Jr.'s inauguration last week, brought with him a written letter from Biden.
"In that letter, of course, he congratulated the president and at least he hoped to be able to speak to him again sometime soon but also invited him to come to Washington when both our schedules would allow," Romualdez said.
"It is really an open invitation for President Marcos to come to the White House."
Despite a 1995 contempt order from a Hawaii court that named Marcos Jr. and his mother, Imelda, Marcos Jr. will be allowed to step on US soil — a privilege provided by diplomatic immunity afforded to heads of state.
READ: What is diplomatic immunity?
The United States is not the first country to invite Marcos Jr. to a diplomatic visit.
Egypt's envoy to the Philippines also extended Marcos Jr. an invitation to attend the United Nations climate change conference, COP27 (Conference of the Parties), to be held in November.
Norway Chargé d’Affaires Bjorn Jahnsen also invited Marcos Jr. to a conference the European country is organizing. Jahnsen said Norway wanted the newly inaugurated president to discuss renewable energy projects in the Philippines.
But Marcos Jr. said he will be focusing on issues at home before making official visits abroad.
"Also, it was suggested that he would travel to the ASEAN countries, which is also part of our diplomatic efforts to introduce him formally to his important allies but the United States is very much in the radar," Romualdez said last Friday.
Last month, Marcos Jr.'s camp confirmed that the president will be attending the in-peron Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Thailand. The event will be held from November 18 to 19. — Kaycee Valmonte
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