President Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is set to meet with the Communist Party of China (CPC) on January 22 to 25. Genuino is the chairman of the finance committee of PDP-Laban. President Duterte has repeatedly expressed his desire for stronger Philippine-China relations, to the point of offering a joint exploration with China on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) islands even if the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration already junked China’s nine-dash line claim to the entire West Philippine Sea in July 2016. If the Sandiganbayan consents to this, Genuino will be leaving with the rest of the PDP-Laban delegation on January 22 and will return to the Philippines from Hong Kong on January 30. Genuino argued that he is also willing to post a cash bond, among other requirements, as may be required by the Sandiganbayan.

Source: Manila Times January 13, 2017 12:56 UTC