‘P-Noy’s love life a private affair’

Allies of President Benigno Aquino III in Cebu yesterday brushed aside speculation  about who was President’s new date.

The identity of the young mestiza seen by Aquino’s side at a Hotdog reunion concert on Monday in Makati  remains a guessing game.

She was described by Inquirer sources as a “Cebuana.”

Liberal Party Provincial Chairman Hilario Davide III said he didn’t recognize the woman in the news photograph and said the bachelor President and the woman  should be left alone.

Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, an LP ally, denied  talk that Aquino’s new date was his sister, Mayel.

Martinez said “No” in a text message in answer to query whether the woman in the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer was his sister.

In Davao City, President Aquino, grinning from ear to ear, blushed when asked yesterday about what’s behind his “glowing aura.”

Mr. Aquino smiled when asked by a journalist: “May nagpapangiti ba sa inyo?” (Is somebody making you smile?)

Then every one in the room, including him, shared a fleeting burst of laughter but the President’s face turned serious in another moment.

“I have no answer to that. That is my business and if I can answer it this way—baka pwede naman akong matrato na ordinaryong tao (perhaps, in this case, I can be treated as an ordinary person),” Mr. Aquino told  reporters at the sidelines of the convention of Philippine Medical Association at the Grand Regal Hotel.

Referring to the front page photo of him and mystery date in a concert in the Dusit Thani Hotel, he asked for privacy.

“That matter is private. That is my business … I feel that many times my rights have been diminished. It is too much to explain,” he said.

Meanwhile, two opposition congressmen said it was fine  for President Aquino to go on dates during his free time as he, too, is entitled to privacy when it comes to his love life.

“He is entitled to his own free time. But at the same time, I think the Office of the President or the presidency demands full time,” said Minority Leader Edcel Lagman in a press conference.

Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said it does not matter who the President is dating as long as he does not neglect his duties as president of millions of Filipinos.

“His duties as president are different. What is more important is the result, his output as president. What he does on his free time, on his personal time, is his own business. But what he is doing for our country is all our business,” Magsaysay.

The love life of the President has become  a matter of public scrutiny.   After he broke up with Shalani Soldedad, he was romantically linked to his stylist Liz Uy.

While the President complains about how the Filipino public feasts on his love life fair—or the lack thereof— he has openly joked about.

In his opening message during the convention of the PMA, he also drew loud laughter when he floated the fact about his singleness.

“As you know I am still single, if I ever get a chance to go out on a date, it seems that I have invited the entire Filipino people to join me on that date. And I wonder who gave them the right and why am I apologizing to whoever had the misfortune of joining me in that circus,” he said.

At the sidelines, he again lamented over how his private life has often been encroached upon by the snooping public. But he also complained about people’s penchant to have their pictures taken with him even during his private night outs.  /Inquirer with reporter Marian Z. Codilla