Binay eased out of arrival rites for Indonesian, Vietnamese leaders?

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay was conspicuously absent at the arrival rites for Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The two leaders were in Manila to attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia. Yudhoyono was concurrently on a state visit while Dung was on a working visit.

However, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Binay has always been invited to such important occasions.

When asked if Binay was invited to the arrival rites for the Vietnamese and Indonesia heads of state, Coloma replied: “I think so, he was invited to both occasions.” 

Coloma said Binay “is scheduled to lead those who will send off” Yudhoyono when he returns to Jakarta today.

Binay will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Education Secretary Armin Luistro, he added.

Binay’s camp said he was “notified late” when Yudhoyono was about to arrive in Manila, and could no longer back out of the annual conference of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) in Bacolod City.

As to the Vietnamese leader’s arrival, “no notice” was sent to them for the visit, they added.

Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado said yesterday the Office of the Vice President (OVP) did not receive any notice about Dung’s arrival. 

“Based on our records, the Vice President’s private staff did not receive any notice on the arrival of the Vietnamese prime minister,” he said when asked why Binay failed to join the welcoming party for Dung at the airport.

On Yudhoyono’s arrival, Salgado said in a text message that the OVP only received the notice through fax last May 20.

“By that time, the Vice President was already in Bacolod for housing events and to preside over the annual Boy Scouts conference where he is the chairman.”

Salgado said it was already too late to cancel Binay’s attendance in Bacolod’s housing event and the BSP’s annual conference.

“The Vice President did fly back for the welcome reception for the World Economic Forum participants and went back to Bacolod the following day,” he said.

Erap fails to join Yudhoyono

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada failed to join Yudhoyono in the wreath laying at Rizal Monument yesterday.

In a phone interview with The STAR, Estrada said he sent Vice Mayor Isko Moreno to represent him and assist Yudhoyono.

“I’m not feeling well this morning,” he said.

“Anyway, I have joined the leaders of China and other ASEAN leaders in the wreath laying. There is no issue to that.” – Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano