No scheduled state visits yet for Marcos —Palace

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles on Monday said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has no scheduled state visits yet.

"The President has not announced any state visits as of now," Cruz-Angeles said during a Palace briefing when asked for confirmation if Marcos would visit China this week.

"He is busy building up the Cabinet so we have to wait for an announcement if there is indeed such a thing."

Asked on the possible visit of Marcos to Washington following the reported invitation from US President Joe Biden, Cruz-Angeles said: "Let's wait for Malacañang to formally acknowledge it and they will probably make the announcement with regards to whether or not it's going to happen."

It was Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez who bared Biden's invitation for Marcos to visit Washington. He said the letter of invitation was handed to Marcos by Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, who attended Marcos' inauguration last June 30.

Romualdez said no schedule has been set yet as this would be mutually agreed upon by both teams.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman previously said Marcos could freely enter the US because of diplomatic immunity. This was her response to a question on whether Marcos could enter the country amid a contempt order that has prevented him from entering the country for years. —KBK, GMA News