21 leaders expected to attend ASEAN summits next month; security forces on “highest alert”, organizer says

October 24, 2017

The 21 leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations and dialogue partners are expected to attend the summits next month, the head of the organizing committee said on Tuesday. With the country's hosting of the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits on November 13-15, security forces will be placed on highest alert, said Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general for operations of ASEAN 2017 National Organizing Committee, in a press briefing in Malacanang. "We will have a total of 21 heads of state, heads of government, plus the Secretary General of the United Nations. Thus far, we have not had any indication of anyone not coming. As long as they have not indicated that they are not coming, we assume that they are," he said. The leaders include the 10 ASEAN member-states, eight of the East Asia Summit, two others who are celebrating the 40th anniversary of ASEAN collaboration - the ASEAN-European Union and ASEAN-Canada. "It will be highest alert. Red alert is as far as I know is the highest. But even with just red alert, it will be even higher than that," Paynor said when asked on security preparations for the summits. He also said  all the flights involving the leaders will be at Clark in Pampanga to minimize disruption in the airport operations. "All arrivals and departures in principle, will be at Clark Airport. This is on the directive of the President that no commercial traffic must be affected at the Manila International Airport," he said. He noted during the country's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting in 2015, close to 450 flights were cancelled and another 200 were affected during the arrival and departure at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. "And I recall that there was a certain mayor who was affected by these flights way back when. And the mayor expressed his disgust about the traffic, et cetera. I think he had to walk some distance to get to his car. So that mayor became president. So he said that, 'Okay, we will host but do not affect traffic.' Because, truth is, we, unfortunately during that time there were again security considerations and therefore the timings of landing, et cetera, we cannot determine," he explained, referring to Duterte. Paynor also said Duterte could have about five bilateral meetings at the sidelines of ASEAN. The upcoming event would be the first time that Duterte and United States President Donald Trump would be meeting since they both assumed the presidency last year and this year, respectively. Meanwhile, Paynor said the Philippines' issue with EU is separate from the ASEAN-EU's. Duterte earlier uttered expletives against the EU following criticisms on his administration's war on drugs. "So we have to distinguish the two roles that the President will have. On a bilateral basis, yes, he can espouse full country positions. During the ASEAN Summit itself where he is chair, he must be seen as neutral and trying to be arbiter and put things together," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS