First Gentleman Juan Miguel Arroyo

By ROGER BALAMAD 

The nation is anticipating with bated breath the situation where the First Gentleman Juan Miguel Arroyo  is joining the delegation headed by his wife, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, regarding the much-publicized audience with US President Barack Obama on July 30. 

The disclosure was made by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay in an exclusive interview yesterday  over station DYTR during the weekly program "Ang Mayor sa Dakbayan". 

In the same radio appearance, the Makati mayor who is now very open of his presidential ambition, recalled an incident with Mr. Arroyo when he joined a US delegation also headed by his wife. 

Before the plane that would bring the couple to the US could land in American soil, Mr. Arroyo suddenly developed illness forcing the aircraft to divert its flight to Tokyo, Japan.

Binay added that the ailing  husband was whisked the following days aboard a private plane and in the process back to the country of origin. 

According to Mayor Binay, the rumor floated around that time was that the President's husband was tipped off that he would be arrested the moment his plane would touch down in US soil. 

According to news reports that came out in the column of Ramon Rulfo in the Philippine Daily Inquirer in yesterday's issue, like Binay, the popular columnist was also keen of Mr. Arroyo's presence in the US along with his wife. 

The same Tulfo column mentioned about alleged anti-money laundering charges involving the FG in a US court.  

The negative revelation by the Makati mayor on the coming GMA visit to the US

was part of his diatribes he unleashed on the frequent President's junkets to foreign shores. The mayor counted 56 visits costing the taxpayers P6 billion. 

On a positive note, however, the Makati mayor was here to fulfill a sisterhood covenants with several municipalities including Cortes, Maribojoc, Dauis, Panglao, Baclayon, carmen Sab Miguel and Carmen. 

He ended his town-sorties with the signing of another elaborate signing ceremonies yesterday with City Mayor Dan Neri Lim at the city hall atrium.