BUTUAN CITY – China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Guo Jiakun, has denied recent media reports claiming that the country had rejected a request for asylum from former President Rodrigo Duterte. Guo clarified that neither Duterte nor his family had submitted any such request for asylum.
In a news briefing, Guo stated that Duterte’s trip to Hong Kong in the second week of March was simply a private vacation and not linked to any political asylum application. Guo emphasized that the trip was a personal visit and pointed out that reports suggesting otherwise were misleading.
He also reminded the media not to immediately believe unverified claims from insiders with unclear standards and potential personal motives.
This follows earlier reports alleging that Duterte and his camp had sought asylum in China, a claim which was swiftly denied by his former spokesperson, Harry Roque.
Guo’s comments reflect China’s firm stance on maintaining transparency in its diplomatic affairs and cautioning against the spread of rumors without credible sources.
