Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 20) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s security group on Saturday defended his use of a helicopter to see British rock band Coldplay perform, saying “unforeseen traffic complications” posed security risks for the chief executive.
Presidential Security Group (PSG) commander Jesus Nelson Morales issued the statement after Marcos came under fire for traveling to the Philippine Arena on a chopper on Friday despite the venue’s proximity to Metro Manila.
“Yesterday, the Philippine Arena experienced an unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals eagerly attending a concert, resulting in unforeseen traffic complications along the route,” Morales said.
“Recognizing that this traffic situation posed a potential threat to the security of our President, the PSG took decisive action by opting for the presidential chopper,” he added, as he asked for the public’s understanding.
Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos were among the thousands of fans who attended day one of Coldplay’s concert on Friday night.
In a now-viral post on X, a netizen uploaded photos of a helicopter used by Marcos to go to the indoor arena. A clip also showed there was more than one chopper at the aircraft landing area.
Progressive transport group Piston criticized the use of the presidential chopper, noting that the concert venue is just 32 kilometers from Malacañang.
“The same Marcos who pushes for the phaseout of jeepneys in the guise of environmentalism, rides a helicopter to a concert! The same Marcos who will massacre informal transport workers’ jobs by Feb 1!” Piston wrote in a tweet.
Meanwhile, during Friday’s concert, Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin thanked fans for heading over to the Philippine Arena despite heavy traffic.
\”We’ve seen some traffic, but I think you have the number one in the world,\” Martin said. \”So thank you for making the effort to come through all of that bull**** to be here!\”
A video posted by another netizen showed Marcos seemingly laughing and covering his face in reaction to the singer’s statements.
Earlier this week, the transportation department said the government will expedite road projects after Metro Manila was ranked as having the worst traffic among metro areas worldwide.
A 2018 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency projected that the Philippines will lose ₱5.4 billion to traffic daily by 2035 if no interventions are made in the capital region.
