Frequent foreign travels not for leisure – Marcos

BERLIN – President Marcos shrugged off his predecessor’s latest tirade against his travels abroad.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte, speaking at the “Laban Kasama ang Bayan” prayer rally for Apollo Quiboloy in Manila, said that Marcos has been traveling a lot for leisure.

Marcos showed a copy of his schedule in Germany when asked to comment on Duterte’s tirade in an interview with the Philippine media here on Wednesday.

“Where’s the leisurely travel? None. You know, we don’t come here for strolling, even in the places I spent a lot of times in. I can’t go to the usual places I go to because we’re here,” Marcos said.

The President also refused to comment on Duterte’s claim that he is pushing for Charter change to extend his term.

“Their target is term extension. I heard that there is a third one, the constituent assembly by Congress, and it looks like they have already started,” Duterte said.

“If there will be changes, Marcos will just prolong (his tenure) just like his father,” he said, referring to former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. who served as president for 20 years.

Meanwhile, Marcos said he is “confused” with his predecessor’s changing opinion.

“He always changes opinion so I have to examine them further because I have only heard of the news and the remarks quickly. I will look at what he really said so that I can understand, I will try to make sense of it,” Marcos said.

Marcos said he does not bear any grudge against his predecessor saying he knows how to separate personal issues from work.

“I don’t see a problem there,” he said.

At the same interview, a journalist asked Marcos for his birthday greeting to Duterte, who is turning 79 on March 28.

“Well, yes. We will, of course, wish him a happy birthday, and many happy returns. We Filipinos respect very important occasions like that,” the Chief Executive said.

He said although there is an official greeting from the Office of the President, he would also greet Duterte personally.

Duterte’s latest rants against Marcos happened just a few days after expressing support anew to the President after calling him a drug addict and warned that he could also be ousted like his father if moves to amend the Constitution push through.

From Berlin, President Marcos flew to Prague, Czech Republic for a three-day state visit.

The President is set to return to Manila tomorrow.