The Philippine press Saturday expressed disappointment and even dismay over the abrupt postponement of the 12th ASEAN summit and the 2nd East Asia summit originally scheduled for next week.

Most of local newspapers expressed doubt whether typhoon is the real reason for the postponement, and cited terrorism and political protests as other factors for the decision by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to put off the summit.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer said in a front-page story that although storm was cited as the reason, doubts are raised over the real reason for the postponement.

"It was the 'threat' nobody saw coming," said the daily, which also published in its front-page a story which said the Philippine weather bureau, PASAGA, has denied that tropical storm Utor would directly hit Cebu.

In a sudden announcement on Friday, the organizers of the summit said the event would be put off until January next year because a typhoon could hit Cebu this weekend.

Another local daily the Philippine Star said in an editorial that the postponement hurt the international image of the Philippines.

"Putting off an international gathering when many of the participants have already arrived inevitably triggers suspicions that there is something more than bad weather that prompted the postponement," said the daily.

"Regardless of the reason, the postponement is not good for the Philippines, which is already suffering from comparisons with its better performing neighbors," it said.

With the headline of "Storm blows summit away," the Cebu newspaper The Freeman said some suspect a looming storm is only "a limp excuse for something more sinister".

Another Cebu daily the Sun Star said along with the postponement, efforts of performers for different programs for the summit, including a gala night, dinner for delegates' spouses, and the already done opening ceremony for the Cebu International Convention Center, were also wasted.

Source: Xinhua