Arroyo dined lavishly in US before attending Cory's wake

While the nation was mourning the death of Corazon Aquino, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Philippine officials were seen dining at an upscale French restaurant in New York with their bill reportedly reaching $20,000 (P960,000). Malacañang confirmed the dinner took place but claimed it was a private dinner paid for by the nephew of Imelda Marcos, Rep. Martin Romualdez, the youngest son of Imelda Marcos's younger brother Benjamin.

The US tabloid New York Post first reported last August 7 that Mrs. Arroyo and her “large entourage" were seen “the other night… enjoying the good life" at the Le Cirque restaurant. The establishment is one of the top 40 restaurants in the US, which has wines from around the world as pricey as $12,000 a bottle. “The economic downturn hasn’t persuaded everyone to pinch pennies. Philippines President Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was at Le Cirque the other night with a large entourage enjoying the good life, even though the former comptroller of her country’s armed services, Carlos Garcia, was found guilty earlier this year of perjury and two of his sons were arrested in the US on bulk cash-smuggling charges," said the tabloid on its Page Six section accompanied by a photo of a smiling Mrs. Arroyo. The article added that Mrs. Arroyo “ordered several bottles of very expensive wine, pushing the dinner tab up to $20,000." The New York Post is owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. It is the 13th oldest newspaper published in the US and the sixth largest in terms of nationwide circulation. Imelda nephew paid for dinner Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told GMANews.TV that the government did not shell out money for the evening affair and thus he did not know how much it cost. “It was a private dinner hosted by congressman Martin Romualdez so we do not know the bill. He paid for it," said Remonde, declining to disclose the date of the dinner. Aside from Cabinet officials, around 30 lawmakers also joined the President in her working visit to the US where she met with President Barack Obama. Remonde did not reveal who else attended the dinner aside from Romualdez. Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition, claimed the dinner happened “hours before" (Mrs. Arroyo) left for Manila to pay respects to (Aquino) at the Manila Cathedral. Mrs. Arroyo cut short her week-long US trip to attend the final day of Mrs. Aquino’s wake last August 5. Mrs. Arroyo was supposed to spend 30 minutes at the Manila Cathedral where the body of Mrs. Aquino lay in state. However, Mrs. Arroyo, who was received by Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III, spent only seven minutes at the church. 'Just dinner, pure and simple' “What they did was deplorable especially if taxpayers’ money was spent," Binay said. "If they spent private money, what they did was in bad taste and again showed insensitivity to the millions of Filipinos who face hunger daily." "It was just dinner pure and simple," Remonde countered. "There was no partying." While the wake for Cory Aquino reminded many that the country once had a modest president, the Arroyo-Romualdez dinner made others recall a different woman of politics. “This ostentatious display of affluence reminiscent of Imelda Marcos reinforces the perception that Philippine officials are corrupt and are living it up while others wallow in crisis," said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. in a statement. "It is truly disappointing and disgusting." - GMANews.TV