While the Philippines was mourning the death of Corazon Aquino, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other Filipino officials were seen dining at an upscale French restaurant in New York with their bill reportedly reaching $20,000 (P960,000). Malaca?ang confirmed the dinner took place but claimed it was a private dinner paid for by the nephew of Imelda Marcos, Rep. Martin Romualdez, the youngest son of Imelda Marcos' younger brother Benjamin. A US tabloid wrote about the lavish dinner Arroyo and her entourage reportedly enjoyed at a posh New York restaurant while visiting US President Barack Obama last week. The US tabloid New York Post first reported on Aug. 7 that Arroyo and her “large entourage” were seen “the other night… enjoying the good life” at the Le Cirque restaurant. The establishment is one of the top 40 restaurants in the US. which has beverages from around the world as pricey as $12,000 a bottle. “The economic downturn hasn't persuaded everyone to pinch pennies ... Arroyo was at Le Cirque the other night with a large entourage enjoying the good life,” said the tabloid on its Page Six section accompanied by a photo of a smiling Arroyo. The article added that Arroyo “ordered several bottles of very expensive beverages, pushing the dinner tab up to $20,000.” The New York Post is owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. It is the 13th oldest newspaper published in the US and the sixth largest in terms of nationwide circulation. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told GMANews.TV that the government did not shell out money for the evening affair and thus he did not know how much it cost. “It was a private dinner hosted by congressman Martin Romualdez so we do not know the bill. He paid for it,” said Remonde, declining to disclose the date of the dinner. Aside from Cabinet officials, around 30 lawmakers also joined the president in her working visit to the US where she met with Obama. Remonde did not reveal who else attended the dinner aside from Romualdez. Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition, claimed the dinner happened “hours before” (Arroyo) left for Manila to pay respects to (Aquino) at the Manila Cathedral. Arroyo cut short her week-long US trip to attend the last day of Aquino's wake on Aug. 5. “What they did was deplorable especially if taxpayers' money was spent,” Binay said. “If they spent private money, what they did was in bad taste and again showed insensitivity to the millions of Filipinos who face hunger daily.” “It was just dinner pure and simple,” Remonde countered. “There was no partying.” While the wake for Aquino reminded many that the country once had a modest president, the Arroyo-Romualdez dinner made others recall a different woman of politics. “This ostentatious display of affluence reminiscent of Imelda Marcos reinforces the perception that Philippine officials are corrupt and are living it up while others wallow in crisis,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. in a statement. Sen. Mariam Santiago, Arroyoss ally, described the dinner as “outlandish.”
