Gloria Arroyo is used to having her way with the Malacañang Press Corps that she thinks she can impose the same control with all members of media, even the foreign media.
A week ago, Malacañang invited members of the Foreign Correspondents of the Philippines to an exclusive press conference in Malacañang on October 2, at 11 a.m. More than 50 Focap members signed on for the Arroyo’s first presscon in more than a year.
Last Monday, Press Undersecretary Martin Crisostomo notified Focap that it was “all systems go for the October 2 press briefing with PGMA.”
However, he set a condition: “The President will NOT entertain political questions, but will answer other questions, including those specifically pertaining to the economy and how the current US financial crisis is affecting the Philippines and other Asian countries.”