President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is relentless in bringing shame to the country. Of late, many were shocked by US media reports that she and her party had at least two lavish dinners worth more than two million pesos while they were in New York and Washington DC. Malacanang has given the lamest and most insulting possible excuses and has even gone to the extent of hypocritically forming an anti-hunger task force amid the continuing outcry.
Visit Manolo Quezon’s blog for more information about the simple dinners. But for a quick review of how Arroyo’s factotums reacted to the public’s demand for explanations and for an accounting of their expenses, have your fill of what Cerge Remonde, Romulo Macalintal and Anthony Golez had to say. One of the dinners happened as the nation was mourning the death of former President Aquino for which Arroyo expressed condolences and proclaimed a 10-day state of national mourning.
Filipinos in New York rejected the alibis and reminded us of the recession that has forced Americans, even those who work in Manhattan, to opt for real simple meals.
Perhaps the public’s view of Arroyo could now be best expressed by this visual by Ninyo Monyo who posted it on Facebook:
Kabataan Partylist meanwhile came out with this invitation that poked fun at Arroyo and her factotums:
Administration ally Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has sane advice for Malacanang but we don’t expect the Palace factotums and the President herself to do something they have long proven to be incapable of doing: Telling the truth.
The issue has not died down as we expect more details of Arroyo’s junket to trickle in from the US and as the Palace insists on insulting our intelligence with its vain attempts to “explain” and “justify” the expensive dinners. Meanwhile, Filipinos should keep the pressure on Arroyo and ensure that she exits Malacanang immediately for that is the only way tostop the regime’s endless acts that shame us as a people.
We are all invited to Arroyo’s goodbye party that should happen June 30, 2010 or perhaps even earlier if only we find enough courage to make it so.