Duterte flying on small private plane to ASEAN Summit to save money: Roque

April 23, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to use a private jet plane when he attends the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Singapore from April 26 to 28 is part of austerity measures at the Office of the President, presidential spokesman Secretary Harry Roque said on Monday.

“To save money! It’s expensive to charter a plane. And a leaner delegation would mean lesser cost for the taxpayer,” Roque said.

Roque said an eight-seater plane would be less expensive compared to chartering a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from and to Singapore.

Special Assistant to the President Secretary Christopher "Bong" Go along with the president’s nurse and close-in personal assistants will be accompanying Duterte during the two-day working trip.

Duterte has fired government officials who used their positions to get free foreign trips. DMS