DFA, Palace deny Gaa recall

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) denied yesterday that Philippine Ambassador to Washington Willy Gaa has been recalled.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez said that there is no recall order for Gaa and that he still enjoys the trust and confidence of the President.

President Arroyo was supposedly furious with Gaa for failing to take a photo of her shaking hands with President Obama when she visited Washington last February for the National Prayer Breakfast (NPB).

Gaa was reportedly tasked to take photos during the event, which would have been the first face-to-face encounter between the two world leaders.

The President was said to have been very angry that Gaa could not be found when Obama supposedly passed by her on three occasions and even greeted her.

Golez emphasized that Gaa is an ambassador and not a photographer, so he was not expected to take snapshots of the President during her visit to the US capital last February.

He said though that he was not aware of Gaa’s status, whether his stint is about to end or not.

“I don’t know about their problems as a career officer. The DFA should be in a better position to explain this because they have the career records of the ambassadors,” Golez said.

DFA spokesman J. Eduardo Malaya said there is no recall order for Gaa.

“He remains at post in Washington. Ambassador Gaa is a highly competent and very senior career officer. He has the trust and confidence of President Arroyo,” Malaya said.

After the NPB, officials said members of the Arroyo delegation saw the President very angry when she called Gaa and ordered him to ride with her in the presidential car.

Officials said although Gaa has completed his tour of duty and is already due home, he can remain as ambassador to the US while his successor is not yet named.

Gaa said there was never any opportunity to take a photograph of President Arroyo with President Obama at the NPB because they never crossed paths.

He was commenting on a STAR report from Manila that he had been sacked for failing to take photos of Arroyo with Obama during the NPB.  

Arroyo made an unscheduled visit to Washington on her way home from the Middle East to attend the breakfast in hopes of seeing and meeting Obama. The NPB is an annual event attended by top US government officials and foreign leaders invited to the event. 

A “Kodak moment” never presented itself, Gaa said, referring to that rare, one-time moment that would have made a great photo.

The envoy said Obama entered the stage for the prayer meeting from the rear and exited the same way. 

“Obama did not go to the floor to meet guests. He did not greet anybody in the audience. He only shook hands with organizers of the prayer meeting who were seated on the stage,” Gaa said.

Referring to the report, which quoted unnamed Foreign Affairs officials as saying Arroyo gave him a tongue-lashing in the presidential car after the NPB, Gaa said, “How would they know what we talked about, as we were the only two passengers in the car?”

Gaa said he has not been fired nor has he received a recall order, and implied that people envious of his position are setting him up for a fall.

He said he is scheduled to visit Manila in July for at least one week for the annual Ambassadors/Consuls General and Tourism Directors of the Philippines meeting.

A career diplomat, Gaa was posted to Washington in July 2006. He previously served as ambassador to China (2003-2006), Australia (2002-2003) and Libya (1992-1997).

In a press statement issued by the embassy later on Wednesday, Gaa dismissed as “totally untrue and baseless” allegations made in the STAR article.

“I serve at the pleasure of the President and I am prepared to be relieved at any time the President feels she no longer has any confidence in me and my ability to effectively carry out my duties and responsibility as Philippine ambassador to the United States. 

“However, I am bothered with the article’s malicious and false characterization of the President as someone who would fire her representative to a close ally of the Philippines over a missed photo opportunity. This is not fair to the President and I strongly feel that this must be made to clear to everyone,” he said.

Gaa said President Arroyo did not come to Washington for the purpose of securing a photo with Obama.

“In fact, the President came in response to my recommendation for her to pass by Washington to attend the National Prayer Breakfast, and meet with key congressional leaders on the Filipino veterans issue, business leaders and officials of the Millennium Challenge Corporation,” he added. With Pia Lee-Brago, Jose Katigbak