WE'RE not mad; we just got even

[explorer]

Surprise! US diplomat subjected to body search

Mar 30, 2005
Updated 01:24am (Mla time)
Nikko Dizon
Inquirer News Service

WE'RE not mad; we just got even.

A top-ranking American diplomat made no protest yesterday morning when airport security personnel frisked him as soon as he stepped into the presidential lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial Terminal.

Ambassador Christopher Hill, the newly appointed assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, looked surprised but smiled and raised his arms as he was scanned with a metal detector and subjected to a body check.

During Holy Week, the Philippines formally protested the alleged harassment of Senator Luisa “Loi” Ejercito Estrada at the San Francisco International Airport on March 20.

The senator complained that she was detained for one-and-a-half hours at the airport and asked such questions as whether she thought her husband, former President Joseph Estrada, would be convicted of plunder.

Various US entities, as well as US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, offered their apologies and regrets over the incident.

Part of security

A source at the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) who was at the presidential lounge said the body check on Hill was a way for Filipinos to get even for the American immigration officials' crude treatment of Ejercito.

However, Senate President Franklin Drilon did not think the incident had anything to do with what happened to Ejercito.

"That's just part of the airport's security measures. I don't think it had something to do with what happened to Senator Loi," he said.

Yesterday, at least three security personnel approached Hill for a body check when he arrived at the NAIA presidential lounge for a brief press conference before leaving for Thailand on board a Philippine Airlines flight.

Instead of making a big fuss, Hill, the top US State Department representative in Asia, was obliging and quipped: "The TSA (US Transportation Security Administration) will be very happy."

Even Hill's special assistant, James Wayman, and US Embassy counsel for political affairs, Scott Douglas Bellard, allowed themselves to be searched by airport security.

No special treatment

"Well, I just think that proves that there's no special treatment given," Ruth Nikola Urry, deputy press attaché of the US State Department, later told reporters when asked for comment.

Hill again underwent a final security check before boarding his flight.

Currently the US ambassador to Seoul, South Korea, Hill will officially assume his duties in Washington next month. He replaces James A. Kelly who resigned from the post in January this year.

Hill, who met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, reiterated America's support for her government.

Listen and learn

"It's really been a great pleasure to come here and to see the strength of this relationship, the strength of this alliance. I was very pleased to have this opportunity to meet with the political leadership here," Hill said at the press conference.

Hill said terrorism and the US travel advisories recently issued by Washington were among the issues he discussed with Ms Arroyo. When asked by reporters to give details, he declined to elaborate.

"We were able discuss these issues. I want to emphasize the fact that I was really here on a listen and learn mission. So for me, it was an opportunity to hear from the Filipino government what its problems are, how they see the problems, and how they see the challenges that they face in light of these recent travel advisories," he said.

Hill declined to comment on reports that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) would be included in the US list of foreign terrorists.

A prominent figure in the talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, Hill stressed the commitment of the United States to the six-party process.

"We feel this is the best way to address the problem posed by the nuclear problem in North Korea. We are prepared to have a very serious and very dedicated negotiation in ridding the Korean peninsula of these weapons. The trouble is we can't be negotiating with an empty chair so we have to encourage-all of us have to encourage-getting the North Korean staff to the table," Hill said. With a report from TJ Burgonio

[av8or5]

Mr Hill has the right attitude. Just because he is a VIP, he didn't make a big fuss on the search. That's the right attitude we pinoys should have. That's the big problem with pinoy, if you got money and if your in position, you take advantage of it and you feel you deserve all these priviledges that you get from your country when you are in another.

[ARB]

was it correct to get even? what if the US will also get even, this time not in immigration but by not helping us?

it all started with a stupid reaction by a personality that thinks that they are untouchables. lot of b*&^s*&t.

[Mojo]

hahaha. we did not get even, nag mukha tayo talagang mga savages compared sa kanila.

parang pinalabas ng US official , nakapamahanging mga Opisyal natin dito, opisyal ng isang malapit na maging banana republic.

siguro dapat mahiya sina drilon at estrada *cough* *cough* dahil sa ugali nila sa mga tao na gumagawa lang ng dapat nila gawin

[gretzy]

Mr Hill has the right attitude. Just because he is a VIP, he didn't make a big fuss on the search. That's the right attitude we pinoys should have. That's the big problem with pinoy, if you got money and if your in position, you take advantage of it and you feel you deserve all these priviledges that you get from your country when you are in another.

very well said!

[BlueBimmer]

it all started wid LOI! hehe

[mazdamazda]

Mr Hill has the right attitude. Just because he is a VIP, he didn't make a big fuss on the search. That's the right attitude we pinoys should have. That's the big problem with pinoy, if you got money and if your in position, you take advantage of it and you feel you deserve all these priviledges that you get from your country when you are in another.

My thoughts exactly.

[cyberdoc95]

I just hope that they did it because they were highly suspicious of the individual that made them search him to the fullest. But if it was done due to malicious intent of trying to strike back for what the US immigration has done to Senator Estrada, then I don't think it would be ethical nor judicious to do something like that. Just a very shallow thing to do!

[nicolodeon]

Mr Hill has the right attitude. Just because he is a VIP, he didn't make a big fuss on the search. That's the right attitude we pinoys should have. That's the big problem with pinoy, if you got money and if your in position, you take advantage of it and you feel you deserve all these priviledges that you get from your country when you are in another.

Well said and I am in agreement.

The problem with Pinoys who have some sort of "position" think that they should be given privelages "fit for a king". Masyadong mayayabang. IMHO, Pinoys who are "given powers' often think that they are entitled whatever caprichos they would like, and require to be pampered. Sadly, only politicians from third-world countries and some other banana republics out there have this mentality. Last month, my companion and I got bumped from a flight going to Legaspi because some a****hole policitians needs to get on that plane because he is "late for an important meeting". When we did get to Legaspi the next day, we found out the alleged real story: the politician wants to get on the plane because he is running late for his tee-off time.

I've traveled with nationals from the US and Europe who are among the who's-who in the NGO sector and they have nary a fuss when they get security checked. However, the other third-world nationalities that I had traveled with (including Pinoys) make a fuss on the strict security checks at air-ports. There was even one incident where a Pinoy got mad because he was not able to get a chance ticket, that he kicked a garbage bin and told the airport security: "do you know who I am in the Philippines?". The security person answered back: 'Sir, you are not in the Philippines.'

[kimpOy]

kahit naman sa US SOP ang mga ganyan.
dito lang usal royalties ang mga politicos eh