By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte is unlikely to accept the invitation of the Papal Nuncio to attend a Catholic Church activity on Friday, June 29.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque admitted that the invitation to attend the Pope's Day celebration arrived late as the President already has a fixed schedule for the week.
The invitation from Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Italian Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia was reportedly coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"I don't think at this point that the President will be attending the event," Roque said during a Palace press briefing.
"But then again until the Office of the President actually says so, I'm not sure. I'm just wary because the invitation came so late, the President has fixed schedules. I don't have any idea if the President will be able to attend," he added.
A tentative schedule of the President showed he will visit Tacloban, Leyte, on Friday.
Roque earlier disclosed that the President has been invited by the papal nuncio to attend the activity commemorating Pope's Day in Manila this Friday. The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul every June 29.
The invitation came amid the government's moves to talk with the Catholic Church and other groups following the President's "stupid God" statement"
Roque said it was not yet clear if the President would ask the government panel tasked to conduct dialogue with Church and other groups would represent him instead.