Bush almost canceled Congress address because of Condi

US President George W. Bush was almost a no-show in Congress were it not for Filipino security advisers prevailing upon their American counterparts to proceed with the schedule, National Security Adviser Roilo Golez revealed yesterday.

Golez said this was the reason for the one-hour delay in the arrival of the US president before he delivered a speech before a joint session of Congress last Saturday.

"President Bush was about to leave for Batasan right after his bilateral meetings with President Arroyo when his security team, headed by Dr. Condoleezza Rice, advised to hold the departure because of the reported presence of hostile crowds along the way," Golez said.

The alternate plan, Golez revealed, was to let Mr. Bush stay at the Premier Guest House while the security situation was being assessed before proceeding to Batasan where over 200 lawmakers led by Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. had been anxiously awaiting his arrival.

Because of the tense security situation, Golez said he was summoned to a meeting with White House chief of staff, Andrew Card, US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and senior US Secret Service officials for a security briefing.

Golez led other security officials in arguing their case with Bush’s security panel assuring the safety of the US president in proceeding to Batasan.

Golez convinced the US security officials that forgoing the Bush speech before the Philippine Congress would have political consequences.

After a teleconference with police officials on the ground, Golez said he had a "heart-to-heart" talk with his counterpart, Rice, who finally issued the go-signal to proceed to Batasan.

Mr. Bush arrived at the Batasan complex in Quezon City at about 4:30 p.m. and after his speech, immediately returned to Malacañang without any hitch.

During his 20-minute address before the lawmakers, Mr. Bush defended his decision to invade Iraq to prevent Saddam Hussein from arming terrorists with weapons of mass destruction.

Bush praised the Arroyo administration’s efforts to fight terrorism and promised US assistance to modernize the Philippine military to help wipe out the Abu Sayyaf.

Several ranking security officials said that was the third meeting between Golez and Rice. But last Saturday’s security briefing was the most intense since they faced each other personally over security issues surrounding the state visit.

Ricciardone later admitted he had informed the US president that there were anti-US demonstrators also massing up along the way but Bush said he "wanted to wave at the protesters."

He said President Bush "was moved by the whole event... and was amazed by the thousands of people waving flags" lining up the streets where the presidential motorcade passed through en route to the Batasang Pambansa complex.

Last Saturday, Metro Manila was on maximum security alert as the US presidential delegation flew in for a whirlwind state visit that saw bilateral talks, Bush’s addressing a joint session of Congress, and a state dinner with pomp, pageantry, and praises squeezed into eight hours what some Malacañang officials had called "quality time."