House OKs travel for GMA

MANILA, Philippines - Even without an official go-signal from the justice department, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s request for medical treatment abroad has been granted by her colleagues in the House of Representatives.

The travel authority for Arroyo was signed by Artemio Adasa Jr., officer-in-charge of the Office of the Secretary General, on Oct. 19. According to the document, she is to be accompanied on her trip by her aide, 1Lt. Jane Glova, nurse Ma. Saharah Casuga, and former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

The travel authority is good for six weeks and allows her to visit five countries, including the United States.

Arroyo is seeking the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) permission to leave the country from Oct. 22 to Dec. 5 for a series of medical consultations with specialists in Singapore, Spain, Germany, Italy and the US for her condition known as “hypoparathyroidism,” which is preventing the full healing of her brittle neck bones.

Among the cures being sought by the former leader is stem cell treatment, according to her husband. She was previously granted permission to leave last Sept. 18 but was not able to make the trip because of her fragile condition.

Her doctors at the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) last week said she was slowly recovering, and may be fit to travel.

She, however, continues to wear a metal brace that restricts the movement of her head and neck.

Mr. Arroyo earlier accused Justice Secretary Leila De Lima of giving his wife a hard time in securing permission to leave. Arroyo remains on the DOJ’s watchlist due to several plunder and graft cases against her.

Arroyo’s camp said De Lima appeared to be withholding her permission until after the serving of a subpoena to make it appear that the former president was trying to avoid prosecution.

A preliminary investigation team of DOJ and elections officials formally served a subpoena to Arroyo yesterday to compel her to appear before the panel and answer allegation of election fraud.

Arroyo’s legal spokesman Raul Lambino said she need not personally appear since it is just a preliminary investigation.

Lambino said Arroyo’s plan to seek medical treatment abroad for her problematic cervical spine “should not be hampered by these investigations and watchlist order.”

“There are no cases filed in court against and probable cause has yet to be determined. She has to be treated as soon as possible for her rare bone ailment, otherwise it will become permanent,” he said.

Mr. Arroyo had also slammed the move of the joint DOJ-Comelec panel to summon him to a preliminary investigation, saying it was “really persecution, harassment and oppression all rolled into one.”

Requirements incomplete

At Malacañang, deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte said all Arroyo has to do is to complete “documentary requirements” to be allowed to make her trip abroad.

“That’s all we’re asking for. We don’t want to be accused of giving her special treatment,” Valte said.

She also rebuffed accusations that the Aquino administration was vindictive, saying it was just merely following due process.

“We have accorded them the same due process that we accord to everybody,” she said.

De Lima, for her part, said she wants an objective opinion on the medical condition of Arroyo before deciding on her request to seek treatment abroad.

“There are varying reports. We hear some of the allies or representatives of the former President saying her condition has improved already, while there are those who say otherwise,” De Lima told reporters in an interview yesterday. She admitted Arroyo’s health condition is a “sensitive and ticklish” issue.

Lawyers of Arroyo went back to the DOJ yesterday and submitted a medical abstract certified by SLMC.

Arroyo’s attending physicians said the former president had shown remarkable improvement since undergoing several operations.

The department had also asked the former president for a list of the countries she intends to visit to get medical advice or treatment.

De Lima said Arroyo’s application for travel permission is being assessed by Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras III.

The watchlist order on Arroyo, the DOJ chief added, is set to expire on Nov. 5. She said she would decide then whether or not to extend the order, considering recent charges linking Arroyo to election fraud in 2007.

De Lima explained that allowing Arroyo to leave pending a preliminary investigation on the poll fraud charges might run counter to the mandate of the DOJ to strictly implement rules on watchlist order under Department Circular No. 41, ironically issued during the Arroyo administration.

“We’re balancing this. We require it (strict compliance to rules) from everyone who applies for ADO. I see no reason why anybody else should be deemed exempted. The people might criticize us if we will relax or dispense with the requirements and even accuse us of special treatment or having double standards,” she stressed.

Paolo Romero, Philippine Star