Aquino cites 3 excuses for snubbing Senate anniversary

President Benigno Aquino III made an obvious snub of the Senate’s 94th anniversary celebration on Wednesday, but he gamely offered at least three different excuses why he didn’t attend. Aquino made an appearance at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza for the birthday party of former Pasay City Mayor Eduardo Martin Calixto, which was held in a function room just beside the venue where the Senate was also holding its anniversary celebration. Asked by reporters why he did not drop by the Senate celebration, the President at first said he was not invited. "Paano ako aattend, hindi naman ako imbitado (How can I attend, I was not invited)," he told reporters in a chance interview. He acknowledged, however, that he still has to check with his appointment staff. He then joked that he did not greet his former colleagues at the Senate because of "separation of powers," pertaining to the well-defined divisions between executive and legislative departments. After more prodding, Aquino offered a third reason. He couldn't attend because he still has to go to the wake of Sonia Roco's daughter, he said. On the other hand, director general Antonio De Guzman of the Senate’s international relations and protocol office said the upper chamber invited Aquino to its anniversary, and that the Office of the President had sent back a notice that Aquino had another appointment on the same day. "We sent everyone invitations, including him because he was a former senator," De Guzman said in Filipino. Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was also supposed to attend the Senate event but was held up in Congress because of a hearing.—Kimberly Jane T. Tan/JV, GMANews.TV