Consider it one of the perks of being president of a US ally.
President Benigno Aquino III toured the visiting nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and was treated to aerial maneuvers by F-16s, one of the world's most sophisticated fighter jets.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ramon Carandang said President Aquino spent the “courtesy call" watching F-16 fighter jets take off and land on the deck and having his picture taken with the crew, many of whom are Filipino-Americans.
Carandang said the display of scrambling fighter planes was “very impressive."
“You see it in the movies. It’s different when you see and actually experience it. We were all very impressed by the trip to the aircraft carrier," he said.
The ship can carry as many as 90 planes and helicopters.
Carandang said President Aquino and his party knew that the ship was used to carry bin Laden’s body before it was buried at sea but they chose not to bring it up during the trip.
“They were not talking about it and lahat kami since di naman pinag-usapan, hindi na namin tinanong… We were just touring the ship," he said.
Carandang said the tour was scheduled. “The invitation came a long time ago, but the acceptance of the invitation came fairly recently," he said.
Carandang said he didn't believe President Aquino’s boarding of the USS Carl Vinson and its docking in Manila Bay will provoke or agitate local terrorist groups.
“No, I don’t think there’s going to be a backlash…This is just part of our defense cooperation with the US. It’s really just a routine port call," he said. The Philippines has been an ally of the U.S. especially in the war against terrorism.
Carandang said it was necessary to board the ship while still in international waters in order to better appreciate its maneuvers. “For the rest of us it was a new experience," he said.
He said Aquino and the other Philippine government officials received black USS Carl Vinson caps, with their names embroidered at the back.
'Little brown brother?'
Meanwhile, leftist groups are preparing protest actions against the ongoing Manila visit of the USS Carl Vinson, the nuclear-powered ship that carried the body of al Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after he was killed by U.S. troops in Pakistan last May 1.
"[We are] preparing for protest actions against the four-day visit of the USS Carl Vinson," the group said on its blog site.
The group also voiced suspicions that President Benigno Aquino III scrapped a courtesy call by Filipino boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, who recently won a fight against American slugger Shane Mosley, on Saturday in favor of touring the ship.
Aquino and senior Philippine officials had toured the ship on the invitation of US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr.
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U.S. over Pacquiao
“It appears that PNoy prefers playing little brown brother instead of honoring a Filipino boxing hero. Given the circumstances, his visit to the USS Carl Vinson cannot be an innocent tour. The Americans talked to PNoy about something they wanted to remain secret, out of earshot of the Filipino people and out of the prying cameras of the media," PM secretary general Judy Ann Miranda said.
The group reiterated its opposition to the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement and pushed for its scrapping. It also called for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill to promote transparency in government and access to information by the people.
“We cannot be faulted for assuming the worst due to the suspicious circumstances. This is a big issue despite Malacañang’s attempt to downplay the event as a tour and douse the fire of speculation about the incident," she added. — KBK/MRT/HS, G
