MANILA - A PHILIPPINE official visiting Vietnam with President Benigno Aquino has apologised after posting a disparaging comment on Twitter about the wine served by their hosts, an Aquino aide said on Saturday.
Maria Carmen Mislang, Mr Aquino's speechwriter who holds the rank of assistant secretary, became an instant Internet celebrity in her own country after her controversial posts - since deleted - on the microblogging site.
'The wine sucks @rickycarandang,' Ms Mislang was said to have tweeted on Thursday, in response to an apparent query from her immediate boss, Aquino spokesman Ricky Carandang.
The three are attending an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Vietnam.
Local press reports on Saturday also quoted her as having posted that there were no handsome local men in the host country, and likening crossing a busy Hanoi street to assisted suicide.
Filipinos greeted the comments with anger online, with general agreement on Twitter and social networking site Facebook that she had disrespected her hosts. Presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said in Manila that Mislang has since posted an apology over the comments. -- AFP
