PERMIT, SAYS SHE NEEDS MORE TIME TO STUDY CASE
MANILA,
NOVEMBER 3, 2011 (TRIBUNE)
By Benjamin B. Pulta, Charlie V. Manalo and Virgilio Bugaoisan - President
Aquino and his Justice secretary, Leila de Lima, continue to keep former
President Arroyo and her health condition hanging, as De Lima has again put off
her ruling on Arroyo's request to be allowed to leave the country and seek
medical treatment abroad.
"It would appear from all indications and from the report of Secretary Ona,
that the former president is recuperating very well. (Her) condition is
improving and, therefore, there seems to be no immediate necessity at this point
for us to grant the request of the former president," De Lima said at a press
briefing yesterday morning before going on leave.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona was quoted as saying that Arroyo can be treated
in the Philippines for any illness she has, pointing out that during his visit
to check on her condition, she could already walk around the house, and is
recuperating well, even as he admitted to her experiencing discomfort and loss
of appetite after her three surgeries.
He also claimed that a bone biopsy, which Arroyo is supposed to need, is a
simple and minor operation and is a procedure done almost every day in many
hospitals here, but also admitted that there are some types of bone biopsies
which are not done in the country.
The camp of the former president yesterday bared they are now studying legal
options against De Lima after the she continues to refuse to issue an Allow
Departure Order (ADO) for Mrs. Arroyo.
In a press briefing, lawyer Raul Lambino, legal counsel for the former
president said he is now conferring with other lawyers and Arroyo herself on
possible legal actions they might take against De Lima, and arrive at a
decision.
The lawyer stressed the issue at stake is Arroyo's right to life and liberty
citing a provision in the Constitution which states that the right to travel
cannot be impaired without a court order – a position taken even by
administration allies.
"It is a dangerous game De Lima is playing. It is not only Mrs. Arroyo's
right that is being violated but the rights of others. That is what should be
feared from this administration," Lambino pointed out as he chided De Lima for
her pronouncement saying this only manifest she had already prejudged the cases
against the former leader and her family.
"Secretary de Lima's pronouncement saying she needs more time to study
matter while giving a lot of reasons indicates that this government would not
want to give its approval."
Lambino added that De Lima's position that Arroyo only be allowed to travel
where the Philippines maintains extradition treaties is not enough reason to
prevent Arroyo from being allowed to seek foreign treatment, saying that even if
there is an extradition treaty, if the person is being politically persecuted as
in the case of the Arroyos, extradition would not be possible.
Lambino noted that no case has yet been filed against the former president,
adding that even the administration has conceded there is no evidence against
her in the plunder cases.
"And this is why the administration fabricated Norie Unas' testimony in the
electoral sabotage case against Mrs. Arroyo," said Lambino.
For her part, Elena Bautista-Horn, Arroyo's chief of staff and spokesman,
ruled out the possibility of Arroyo facing the public to show how her illness is
taking a toll on her saying the former president does not needs to beg to be
allowed to leave for foreign treatment.
"Why should she be made to beg? It's the right of every person. One does not
need to beg to in order to leave the country, If this is the case, there is no
democracy in this country," Horn said.
She stressed that the former leader had already complied with all the
requirements of the DoJ including the required three letter requests she had
sent to Palace.
"President Arroyo is taking about 25 tablets daily, apart from a hormononal
injection because her parathyroid gland is not working," said Horn. "and you
wouldn't want to be in her shoes taking all those medications daily."
Horn said she believes the government might be waiting for Arroyo to be in a
more dangerous or unstable condition before acting on their request.
Both Lambino and Horn agreed De Lima has gone overboard with her position on
the Arroyos as they noted that the late Sen. Ninoy Aquino and former president
Estrada were both allowed to travel even if their cases were already in advanced
stages.
Aquino was already convicted for murder and sentenced by a military tribunal
to die by musketry while Estrada had already been indicted on plunder charges.
A controversial aide, the lack of extradition treaties in her real preferred
countries, and the silence on which doctor she will meet with are making the
former president's plan to seek medical help abroad smell fishy, Sen. Panfilo
Lacson said Thursday.
Citing information from his spy in the Justice Department, Lacson questioned
the inclusion of Remedios Poblador, Arroyo's erstwhile secretary for "special
concerns," as one of her entourage abroad.
"Isn't it suspicious that instead of strictly family members, it seems that
she's bringing with her the whole 'secretariat?'" he said.
He said that while he has no objection to Arroyo seeking the best medical
help possible, these three factors cast doubt on her real motives for wanting to
leave the country.
Poblador gained controversy during the Arroyo administration when she
allegedly offered money to "Hello Garci" witness Vidal Doble Jr. in exchange for
his refusal to testify before a congressional inquiry into the "Garci" scandal.
She also dispatched a government helicopter to bring then Balanga Bishop
Socrates Villegas to "rescue" Doble from the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City
at the height of the "Garci" scandal in 2005.
Doble had also testified before the Senate that Poblador was one of the
personalities he saw at the quarters of then Armed Forces chief of staff Gen.
Efren Abu, where his wife and two children were "detained."
Lacson also questioned why the countries Arroyo intends to travel to have no
extradition treaty, saying her real intended countries include Austria, Germany
and Spain.
Aside from this, he said Arroyo has been mum on the identity of the doctors
she plans to consult during her trip abroad.
"She could not give details of the doctors she will consult with. What makes
this more fishy is that of the 14 people in her entourage, most of them are
aides," he said.
Malacañang also yesterday admitted it is still unsure on what to do if Mrs.
Arroyo would insist on leaving the country amid some legal positions that the
watchlist order (WLO) issued by the DoJ infringes on ones' constitutional right
to travel and professed its willingness to comply with the Supreme Court if it
favors the opinion that the Justice department's watchlist order is patently
unconstitutional.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte acknowledged the position of many
legal luminaries including some allies of the President that De Lima's watchlist
order is unconstitutional considering that Mrs. Arroyo has yet to be formally
charge in court in relation to allegations of electoral fraud and corruption,
but she noted that the action of the justice secretary nonetheless enjoys the
"presumption of regularity."
"While there are opinions that the watch list order may be contrary to law,
it enjoys the presumption of regularity," said Valte.
Valte also clarified that although De Lima has issued a statement claiming
the ailment of Mrs. Arroyo not life threatening, there is no decision yet in
relation to Mrs. Arroyo's request for an ADO. She said that De Lima herself has
not made any formal recommen-dation to Aquino.
"The decision will be announced at the right place and at the right time.
Thus, any questions regarding GMA's health condition and as to the study being
conductedby the DOJ will have to wait We will likewise just wait for the
decision of Secretary De Lima.," Valte said that adding that De Lima is still
validating other information that is pertinent to the evaluation of the request
(ADO).
De Lima said "it would appear that there seems to be no immediate extreme
necessity for her to leave the country at this point. But I want to be very
sure, in other words, I need a few more days to further reflect on the issue at
hand," she added.
Arroyo is applying for an ADO after she was placed in the Bureau of
Immigration's (BI) travel watch list in connection with pending cases of
electoral sabotage against her.
De Lima noted that based on the report submitted by Health Secretary Ona, he
was able to establish that Mrs. Arroyo's condition is not a life-threatening
situation.
The justice secretary, however, asked for "few more days" to formally decide
on whether to adopt Ona's findings or still allow the President to leave despite
the health secretary's findings.
Defense lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who represents former First Gentleman Jose
Miguel Arroyo, said his client does not recognize the DoJ's authority to stop
any person from travelling in and out of the country, except for the exceptions
recognized by the Constitution.
"We have lost all hope of being treated fairly and decently by the Executive
Department, whose head, the President, has already pronounced our client guilty
even without formal proceedings having been instituted. The restriction of our
client's constitutional rights is palpable and brazen," Topacio said.
"We believe that our succor now lies with the courts, which we trust will
interpret the Constitution correctly and in favor of individual liberties over
state tyranny," he added.
FROM PHILSTAR
GMA may also need bone biopsy By Paolo Romero
(The Philippine Star) Updated November 03, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (30)
MANILA,
Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
needs to undergo a bone biopsy that can only be done abroad in order to
determine the cause and cure for her rare bone disorder, a close ally in the
House of Representatives said yesterday.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said the
recommendation for Arroyo to have a bone biopsy abroad was contained in the
medical abstract from the St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) that he was able to
read when he visited the lawmaker on Tuesday at her residence in La Vista,
Quezon City.
His disclosure was confirmed by SLMC vice president for corporate
communication Marilen Lagniton, who said there are no facilities for such tests
in the country.
"The former president's doctors at the SLMC are not ruling out some kind of a
bone disease and that procedure (biopsy) is not available here," Suarez said in
a telephone interview.
"(A) rare metabolic bone disease could not be totally ruled out and she may
require a bone biopsy," he said, quoting a portion of the medical abstract.
He said Health Secretary Enrique Ona was able to confer with Arroyo's doctors
when he visited her upon the request of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who
wanted a third party certification on the medical condition of the former
president.
Suarez surmised the biopsy was also necessary to determine whether Arroyo
could be cured through stem cell treatment as sought by her husband Jose Miguel
Arroyo in Germany in September.
He said Arroyo looked thin and was visibly uncomfortable with her head and
neck brace. The contraption was adjusted three times by her nurse during his
visit, he said.
"She is recovering from her surgery but I'm not sure about her long-term
healing. I'm sure the controversies surrounding her are also taking a toll on
her health but she wouldn't admit that, knowing her," Suarez said.
Arroyo underwent three surgeries to relieve pressure on a pinched nerve in
her cervical spine but the titanium implants were dislodged due to her brittle
neck bones.
Doctors attributed her weak bones to a condition called "hypoparathyroidism,"
which prevents the production of calcium necessary for her healing.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
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