President Rodrigo Duterte (center) with (from left) Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada and the former Presidents: Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Fidel Ramos, and Benigno Aquino III. PHOTO FROM PPD
MANILA—SO who snubbed whom?
A source present at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Thursday defended former President Benigno Aquino III from criticisms that he pointedly ignored his predecessor, Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
READ: No love in the room when Noy meets Gloria
The source told the INQUIRER that the PTV 4 video showing Aquino shaking hands with President Rodrigo Duterte and former President Fidel Ramos and then going straight to his designated spot instead of acknowledging Arroyo, was not the entire story.
“When they were all inside the room, Aquino actually said, ‘Hi, Mam’ to Arroyo. But she ignored him,” the source said, requesting anonymity for lack of authority to talk to media.
Certainly, the source said, no one could tell if Arroyo snubbed Aquino in retaliation for his failure to acknowledge her during the photo op session.
The source said that in that particular incident, Aquino merely followed the instructions of the protocol officer who told him to go straight to Mr. Duterte then take his place to the new President’s left.
That was exactly what Aquino did, only that former President Fidel Ramos was standing on Mr. Duterte’s immediate left which was why Aquino shook the hand of his mother’s successor as well. Former President Joseph Estrada also attended the meeting.
Arroyo was recently released from a five-year detention after the Supreme Court junked a plunder case filed by the Aquino administration against her.
Despite the icy atmosphere between Arroyo and Aquino, the source said parts of the meeting were punctuated by laughter from the group over Mr. Duterte’s jokes.
READ: NSC meet attended by five Presidents
The meeting stretched over five hours. Served were fried bananas, sandwiches, and turon./rga
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