Philippines President cancels COP28 visit

Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has cancelled his visit to COP28, to work towards ensuring the safety of 17 Filipinos being held hostage by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the cargo vessel Galaxy Leader, with links to an Israeli businessman, was seized in retaliation for Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

Marcos Jr., posting on X, said he will send a high-level delegation to Iran with the aim of providing the necessary assistance to the group being held off the coast of Yemen.

In light of important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea, I have made the decision not to attend COP28 in Dubai tomorrow.

Today, I will be convening a meeting to facilitate the dispatch of a high-level delegation to Tehran,…

— Bongbong Marcos (@bongbongmarcos) November 30, 2023