MANILA (Updated) -- Cielito "Honeylet" Avanceña, the common-law wife of President Rodrigo Duterte, is now in New York City on the invitation of United States First Lady Melana Trump to attend an event related to United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
"Madame Cielito Avanceña is on a personal trip to NY to attend an event upon the invitation of First Lady of the US, Madame Melania Trump," Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
Abella, however, was not privy to Avanceña's exact role in UN General Assembly.
The 72nd session of the UN General Assembly formally opened in New York on Tuesday, September 19.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recently said Duterte's partner was not part of the Philippine delegation to the UN General Assembly.
Avanceña, who was spotted watching "Miss Saigon" at the Broadway Theater in New York on Tuesday night, confirmed to ABS-CBN reporter Don Tagala, that she was invited to participate in UN's side meetings.
The President, meanwhile, skipped the assembly to focus on local issues affecting the country, particularly the ongoing armed conflict in strife-torn Marawi City.
Duterte is being represented by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.
"The President has stated that he would minimize foreign travels now to attend to pressing domestic concerns, such as the rehabilitation of Marawi," Abella earlier said.
Duterte has been critical of the UN after his anti-drug war has been questioned by its members. In his impromptu speeches, he repeatedly cursed the international body for interfering in his war on rampant narcotics trade.
'Mocha part of PH delegation to UN assembly'
Meanwhile, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux "Mocha" Uson was in New York as part of the Philippine delegation to the UN assembly.
Andanar said Cayetano sought Uson's presence in New York to cover the UN gathering.
"Mocha needs to work because she's being paid, right? And she was really requested by the Office of Secretary Cayetano to go to New York to cover," he said.
Uson was appointed under Duterte's communications department to promote the executive department's activities in her Facebook page, which has millions of followers. (VoxPop Philippines)
