APOLOGIZES TO MIKE A.
MANILA,
AUGUST 6,
2011 (STAR) By Angelo L.
Gutierrez - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (photo) today said that former first
gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo did left the country via a commercial flight, but
did not pass through immigration.
A radio dzMM report said that according to De Lima, the former first
gentleman left for Hong Kong last July 31 on board a Cathay Pacific flight.
De Lima, however, was puzzled how Mr. Arroyo left without the Bureau of
Immigration (BI) detecting it. She said that someone could have facilitated his
travel documents.
The report said that De Lima has ordered BI Commissioner Ricardo David to
investigate the seemingly discreet departure of the former first gentleman.
Yesterday, De Lima issued a watchlist order against the former first
gentleman.
The BI has ordered all its field offices based in international airports and
seaports to implement the watchlist order.
De Lima signed the watchlist order yesterday upon the request of Senate Blue
Ribbon committee that is investigating the Philippine National Police's (PNP)
allegedly anomalous purchase of three helicopters in 2009.
While on watch list, Mr. Arroyo needs to ask for clearance from the DOJ
before he could leave the country.
Businessmen Archibald Po of Lion Air Inc. and Hilario de Vera of the Manila
Aerospace Products Trading Corp. (MAPTRA) had testified before the committee
that two of the Robinson R44 Raven 1 helicopters bought by the PNP were
pre-owned by Mr. Arroyo.
Sen. Teofisto Guingona, committee chairman, said they will summon the former
first gentleman to appear in the next hearing on August 11 (Thursday).
The lawyers of Mr. Arroyo have assured that he is prepared to face
investigations on his supposed involvement in the anomalous PNP choppers' deal.
His lawyer, Inocencio Ferrer, said Mr. Arroyo had to fly to Hong Kong for
treatment of "a life-threatening condition known as dissecting aortic aneurism,
a very serious heart condition."
Mr. Arroyo had told the Philippine Star that he will return on Monday. He
said he would want to attend the Senate hearing, but he would have to ask
permission from his doctors first.
GMA out of hospital
Meanwhile, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been allowed by her
doctors to leave the St. Luke's Medical Center in Global City, Taguig, this
morning.
"We would like to inform the Filipino people that the staff at St. Luke's
Medical Center have successfully treated the problem of the former president and
that we will continue to monitor her health as she undergoes rehabilitation,"
Dr. Joven Cuanang told reporters outside the hospital.
Mrs. Arroyo's doctors said they ordered the former president to return to the
hospital for a follow-up checkup on Tuesday next week.
Dr. Juliet Cervantes, attending physician of the former president, said Mrs.
Arroyo will have to rest and wear a neck brace for a month.
Cervantes added that the former president will continue rehabilitation in her
home.
Reports said that Mrs. Arroyo went straight to her home in La Vista, Quezon
City after being discharged from the hospital.
FROM THE TRIBUNE
De Lima apologizes for big blooper on Mike A
08/06/2011
Justice Chief Leila de Lima, who is fast gaining a reputation for
shooting from the hip, yesterday apologized publicly to former presidential
spouse Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo for accusing him of having left the country
without going through the regular immigration route, among other accusations,
making public her order to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to explain how Arroyo
had sneaked out of the country without any documents attesting to his departure
from Manila, and with some senators already accusing Arroyo of having fled the
country, concluding that he was guilty, as flight is a sign of guilt.
It was Arroyo's lawyer, Inocencio Ferrer, who presented Mike's passport,
baggage tag, travel tax and terminal fee receipts, and a certification from
Cathay Pacific to prove that he had records of departure from Manila for Hong
Kong last Sunday.
He then demanded an apology from De Lima.
De Lima did so yesterday and claimed that there were immigration records of
Arroyo's departure and that they were in order but that a spelling error had
resulted in the agency's failure to find him in its records.
In a text message to newsmen, De Lima said the BI confirmed that Arroyo left
the country last Sunday via a Cathay Pacific flight. However, his departure
records were supposedly facilitated by somebody else.
"It appears that he did not pass through Immigration. Somebody facilitated
the processing of his documents. I directed Commissioner David to investigate
the matter," De Lima said.
Arroyo's departure records was first put to question last Thursday, when the
DoJ placed Mr. Arroyo on the watch list even if he is already abroad receiving
medical treatment.
De Lima said the issuance of the watch list order against Arroyo will not be
rendered useless because once the former First Gentleman returns to the
Philippines, Immigration authorities are tasked to report to the DoJ that he is
back in the country. The DoJ will then inform the Senate blue ribbon committee,
which requested the issuance of the order, of Mr. Arroyo's return.
Also on the watch list is Rowena del Rosario, Arroyo's supposed secretary.
The name "Rowena del Rosario" appears in the incorporation papers of La Vista
Investment Holdings, Inc., a company declared in former President Arroyo's
Statements of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALNs) in 2008 and 2009.
Being on the watchlist Arroyo must first ask the DOJ to lift the order before
he or she can travel abroad. The person must also present the government-issued
clearance before leaving the country.
Senators yesterday chastised the belated move of the DoJ placing under
immigration bureau's watchlist Mike Arroyo.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said should be held liable in the event that
Arroyo, who is being invited by blue ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto
"TG" Guingona to answer to charges over alleged involvement in the sale of
pre-owned and overpriced helicopters to the Philippine National Police (PNP),
fail return to the country in time for his scheduled appearance on Thursday's
hearing.
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Francis "Chiz" Escudero also criticized the DoJ
which plced the BI in the bad light especially in the wake of claims made by De
Lima on the lack of any records showing that the departure of Arroyo went
through regular process.
Escudero said there's no use putting Arroyo under immigration watchlist if
the BI was unaware of his flight to Hong Kong several days ago.
The senator emphasized that only the courts can issue a hold departure order
to prevent any person from getting out of the country.
As this developed, physicians of the former first gentleman may find
themselves in a hot seat if they're found to have supposedly colluded with
Arroyo to feign illness or just make it apear that his health condition is
life-threatening to evade attendance in the Senate hearing.
Sen. Franklin Drilon said that if need be, he will have to move for the
Senate resident physicians to check on the actual condition of Arroyo if he
fails to attend next week's hearing.
Such has been the practice in the past when some resource persons being
invited by the Senate have claimed illnesses whenever they have been scheduled
for appearance in a hearing.
The senator said there seems to be a pattern among those invited to a hearing
to be suffering from a certain illness just as when they are being summoned to a
hearing.
"What's lamentable about it is that some doctors seem to be cooperating on
that point. So even if it should not be taking place, that is actually what is
happening.
In court proceedings, even if you have to have a certain medical condition,
this will not impede in continuing with the litigation of the case. And this
should also be the case in the Senate and if they refuse to appear, if they're
in Hong Kong, they're beyond our reach. We will have no choice but come up with
a committee report without hearing their side," he said. With Benjamin B. Pulta and Angie M. Rosales
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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