GMA slips into town quietly

After a high-profile state visit to the United States, President Arroyo returned quietly early yesterday morning with only a handful of government officials to greet her.

Cutting her trip by a day to check an ongoing security concerns in Mindanao, Mrs. Arroyo arrived with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo via regular Philippine Airlines flight PR 115 from Los Angeles and arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 1:57 a.m.

Presidential Chief of Staff Rigoberto Tiglao said Mrs. Arroyo wanted a quiet homecoming because she did not like to trouble the Cabinet for her arrival.

But Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando led local officials who greeted the President on her arrival along with US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone.

She went straight to Malacañang and took yesterday off in anticipation of a full schedule today, including the signing into law of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and a public report on her US trip.

The President is scheduled to leave for Mindanao around noon today and arrive at Cagayan de Oro City’s Lumbia Airport at 12:45 p.m.

She will then proceed by helicopter to Tubod, Lanao del Norte, where she is to meet with local officials to discuss the ongoing military operations against MILF strongholds.

After checking on evacuation centers there, Mrs. Arroyo will return to Cagayan de Oro where she will preside over a command conference with top military and police officials.

The President was originally scheduled to return from the US today but she decided to cut her trip to check on an ongoing military offensive she ordered just before leaving last week.

The military operations were against "embedded terrorists" in Mindanao whom she blames for bombings and attacks that have killed 210 people in Mindanao this year.

The assaults have been mainly aimed at the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which the government is blaming for the attacks. The MILF has denied involvement in the attacks.

During her state visit, US President George W. Bush declared that the Philippines would be classified a major non-NATO ally, a status that would allow the military greater access to US military materiél badly needed for counterinsurgency operations. — With Rudy Santos