By Angelo L. Gutierrez The Philippine Star - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima 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.
