President Arroyo should stop using taxpayers' money to go after United States President Barack Obama, United Opposition president and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said Saturday.

While thousands of Filipinos lose their jobs daily with the impact of the global economic downturn, Binay said the President has made use of public funds for a "very expensive hunt for a photo opportunity" with Obama in her US trip.

"Even if she does get around to getting the much-sought after photo opportunity with the US president, the halo of purity will not rub off on her," Binay said in a statement.

Binay said no amount of face time with Obama will reverse Mrs. Arroyo's unpopularity, and her administration's "tarnished international reputation as a violator of human rights and a den of corruption."

No snub

Malacañang on Friday clarified that President Arroyo was not snubbed by Obama during the National Prayer Breakfast meeting held Thursday in Washington D.C. This was the third time that she failed to personally meet the US President.

President Arroyo took a sidetrip to Washington D.C. after attending the economic summit in Davos, Switzerland, and her trip to Bahrain. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Mrs. Arroyo attended the prayer meeting to meet with congressional leaders regarding pending bills in US Congress affecting the country.

However, Binay said the only thing the President accomplished on her sidetrip was that she managed to evade questions on the findings of the World Bank (WB) implicating her husband in bid-riggings for road projects.

A testimony in the WB inquiry linked First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo to the bid-rigging controversy which led to the blacklisting of seven firms and one individual for alleged collusion in WB-funded road projects worth $33 million.

Mr. Arroyo has denied such allegations, saying that he has never met and discussed bribery with any contractor.

Binay said the US government may begin to scrutinize the Arroyo administration for the WB report linking the First Gentleman to high-level corruption, as well as the regime's human rights record.

"Democratic administrations have traditionally tied a regime's human rights record to the level of assistance extended by the US government," he said.