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Sunday, December 28, 2003
GMA afraid to face Rizal?
By Harley Palangchao
PRESIDENT Arroyo made yet another surprise move when she decided not to spend her Christmas and New Years vacation in Baguio, along with the First Family.
While everybody expected that Arroyo and members of the First Family would arrive in Baguio for their weeklong holidays from December 26 to January 1, like in the past two years, the President went back to Malacaņang after her visit to Pangasinan last Christmas.
There was no official statement from Malacaņang as to why the First Family would not be spending the holidays in this Summer Capital. But some government sources claimed the President is apparently hesitant to come face to face with the monument of national Dr. Jose Rizal at the Rizal Park.
Arroyo stunned the nation December 30, 2002 when she announced at the Rizal Park in Baguio that she was bowing out of the 2004 elections in line with her determined bid to heal further divisiveness in the country.
"If I were to run, it would require a major political effort on my part. But since I am among the principal figures in the divisive national events of the last two or three years, my political efforts can only result in never ending divisiveness," the President then said in her Rizal Day speech commemorating the 106th death anniversary of the national hero.
Other sources said the President might again surprise her countrymen if she would announce that her December 30, 2002 speech was meant to be a joke. "Baka naman bigla niya sasabihin, joke, joke, joke," a Baguio resident said.
Sources from the Philippine Information Agency-Cordillera (PIA-CAR) refused to comment when asked why members of the First Family are not spending their holidays in Baguio. PIA-CAR provides Baguio journalists the itinerary of the President whenever she visits the city.
Supt. Francisco Manalo Jr, Baguio City Police Office director, in a telephone interview Saturday, said his office has yet to receive any official confirmation from the PNP headquarters if the President would be visiting Baguio.
Baguio policemen, led by Task Force Double Blade, were earlier ordered by Chief Supt. Rowland Albano, director of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PRO-CAR), to ensure the protection and security of the First Family.
Arroyo and top police and military officers were in The Mansion when the New Peoples Army blasted the Marcos bust in nearby Tuba, Benguet December 29 last year.
(December 28, 2003 issue)
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