Envoy axed over missed Obama photo moment

MANILA, Philippines – For failing to take a crucial photo, an ambassador has lost his job.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Willy Gaa reportedly missed three opportunities to take a photo of President Arroyo with US President Barack Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast (NPB) in Washington last February, and received a tongue-lashing from the Chief Executive.

Foreign Affairs officials, who asked not to be identified, said the President had instructed Gaa to grab any opportunity during the NPB to shoot photos of her with Obama.

Arroyo had flown all the way from the Middle East to attend the NPB in hopes of seeing and meeting Obama.

The officials said the President was very upset that Gaa could not be found when Obama passed by three times and greeted her.

“The President designated Ambassador Gaa as photographer during the NPB in Washington. But when President Obama passed Mrs. Arroyo three times wala si Ambassador Gaa,” an official related.

The officials said Arroyo was very angry because of the missed photo opportunity for what should have been the “photo of the moment” when Obama stopped to shake hands with her.

After the NPB, the officials said members of the Arroyo delegation saw the President very angry when she called Gaa and ordered him to ride with her in the presidential car.

“Pagkatapos ng (After the) big event they saw each other. The people there saw and heard the President call Amb. Gaa. She told Gaa to join her in the car. Sabay sara ng kotse (The doors slammed). It was dramatic,” another official said.

Officials said although Gaa may be returning home, he can still remain as ambassador to the United States for a while because no replacement has been designated.

Sources said Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr. of the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco is being considered to replace Gaa.

Paynor, a former chief presidential protocol officer, accompanied the President on her various trips abroad and is very close to Mrs. Arroyo.

Paynor was chairman of the Philippine National Organizing Committee when the country was supposed to host the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Cebu in December 2006.

He announced the Philippine government’s decision to postpone the summit supposedly because of a coming typhoon, but some diplomats claimed that the postponement of the meeting of ASEAN heads of states was an embarrassment to the country.

Paynor, who made the announcement at the Cebu International Convention Center, described the decision to postpone the summit as “agonizing” and “most painful.”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo took the responsibility of recommending the postponement of the leaders’ summit but emphasized that he was not the one who gave the approval.

Romulo said he recommended the postponement of the ASEAN Summit because of the weather disturbance and not the political “storm” and travel advisories of at least six countries that warned of possible terrorist attack in Cebu.

The ASEAN members and the international community expressed doubts on the country’s political stability since the postponement happened when the “political” storm hit the government because of the protest of various groups opposing the plan to amend the Constitution.