Press Secretary Rigoberto Tiglao yesterday married long-time girlfriend and Inq-7 editor-in-chief, Gethsemane Selirio, in simple civil ceremonies in Pampanga.

It would have been one of those simple and secret weddings had President Arroyo, herself, not spoiled it by revealing it to the media.

Arroyo, during a photo opportunity with Rodolfo Ma. Ponferrada, who topped the bar exam, and members of the National Market Vendors Association at lunchtime, excitedly asked lensmen: "Did you know that Tiglao is getting married?"

The question elicited gasps and murmurs from photographers and officials who were present, including Agriculture Secretary, Leonardo Montemayor; Agriculture Undersecretary, Ernesto Ordonez and defeated administration senatorial candidate and former Bulacan governor Roberto Pagdanganan.

"Oh, so that's why," Pagdanganan was heard as saying cryptically. Upon hearing the announcement, palace reporters saturated Tiglao's cellular phone with calls, only to be answered by a recorded message.

After about an hour, Tiglao finally answered and admitted that he had just got married in Pampanga.

Court of Appeals Justice Remedies Fernando officiated at the wedding, which was witnessed by Fernando's husband, Joner, and one of Tiglao's cousins. "He was surprised by the president's announcement of his wedding," he said.

He said the church wedding will follow when Tiglao and his wife get back from Japan, where he is going on a three-month professorial fellowship. He said he has asked President Arroyo to be one of the principal sponsors.

The new Mrs. Tiglao, who had been the press secretary's office mate when he was still with the Business Day and later replaced him as Inq-7 editor-in-chief when he took the job of presidential spokesman, will accompany Tiglao in Kyoto as his researcher.

"I won't be lonely in Kyoto. I will have someone to share the beauty of cherry blossoms," Tiglao said. "I'm on Cloud Nine," Tiglao added, admitting that he and Gethsemane had planned the wedding for some time.

"She's beautiful, intelligent, kind-hearted and also a good journalist, a very good one," he said of his forty-something bride. Tiglao, who insists that he is 50 years old, said having children is not yet among their plans.

"We're still very, very young. Wish me luck," he said. He also asked palace reporters to be kind to him on his wedding day and to refrain from writing adversarial reports about him for a day.

Tiglao, who assumed the post of presidential spokesman on April 23, 2001, was widowed when his wife, Racquel Edralin, women's rights advocate, died of breast cancer in late February, 2001.

They have three children - a commercial plane pilot, a graphic artist for an advertising agency and Darth, 22, Inq-7 editorial assistant.