Aquino gets ‘wang wang’ treat from the US Secret Service

President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER file photo

WASHINGTON, D.C.—He may have strict orders against the use of “wang-wang” to cut through Manila’s notorious traffic, but his hosts gave him little choice when confronted with the equally notorious traffic in the US capital.

President Benigno Aquino and his official entourage on Friday (Saturday in Manila) got a rare siren treat when the US Secret Service virtually stopped traffic along a 20-kilometer route from the White House to Andrews Air Force Base in rural Maryland.

Aquino’s meeting with US President Barack Obama and the five-minute press briefing that followed ended just past 3 p.m. All members of the Philippine contingent had to rush to their assigned vehicles to make it in time for the 3:30 p.m. (Eastern time) departure of the presidential flight, PR 001, if President Aquino was to make it on time for his 6 p.m. (Pacific time) meetings with Filipino-American celebrities Jessica Sanchez and apl.d.ap in Los Angeles, four hours’ flying time away.

To achieve this, the Secret Service assigned four motorcycle escorts to help cut through vehicular traffic for the presidential convoy, which included two presidential limousines and two Secret Service SUVs driving in protective diamond formation.

It was a tricky feat to pull off because Friday rush hour traffic was beginning to build up as motorists began to drive out of the capital for their suburban residences in adjoining states.

During the drive to Andrews AFB, reporters accompanying the President looked in amazement as private vehicles — without exception — pulled over to the shoulders of freeways as President Aquino’s 11-vehicle convoy sped past.

Traffic was also stopped by the Secret Service at various freeway entry ramps and intersections.

In the rural sections of Maryland, where two-lane roads had no shoulders for vehicles to pull over, cars drove onto the dirt sections off the pavement to allow the convoy to pass.

By this reporter’s estimate, easily thousands of private vehicles were affected by the mad dash from the White House to President Aquino’s waiting plane.

According to a person familiar with the conditions in the area, the drive from the White House to Andrews on a Friday afternoon would take anywhere between 45 and 75 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. With the Secret Service clearing the route, however, the distance was covered in 19 minutes.

Speaking to reporters in flight, President Aquino admitted being embarrassed by the feat.

“Sa totoo lang, napapatakip ako ng mukha,” he said. “At saka everybody [was affected] eh. Dadaanan mo lahat ‘nung turista, ‘di ba? Talagang lahat nandoon — may wang wang, may counter flow.”

“Sabi ko parang… talagang I’m not used to that, ano?” he said, adding that he would never get used to the feeling of such a privilege. “I really don’t like it. Not in a democratic country.”