Marcos flies to Brunei for Prince Abdul Mateen's wedding

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 13) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. surprisingly left for Brunei on Saturday evening to attend the royal wedding of Brunei's Prince Abdul Mateen and his fiancee.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos' trip was at the invitation of Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. No details were given as to when the invitation was sent.

«The President, who is expected to join other heads of state in the wedding, will be back on Sunday,» the PCO said.

«The President's attendance to the royal wedding re-affirms the strength of the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Brunei,» it added.

Prince Abdul Mateen has married Anisha Rosnah Isa-Kalebic, a 30-year-old businesswoman who owns a fashion brand and a tourism company, in a grand 10-day wedding ceremony that started on Jan. 7, the international media reported.

The prince, who is the fourth son and 10th child of the sultan, is 6th in line to the Bruneian throne.

Marcos and Bolkiah last met in a bilateral meeting in November 2023 on the sidelines of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Cambodia.

RELATED: Brunei vows to continue supporting PH's peace efforts